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Asked Iga Swiatek if she had changed her off court habits now that she’s used to life on Tour, and she said yes, that yesterday she didn’t have practice. « I just went to eat some great seafood, I was at the park, just walking around, looking for something to shop. »
Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon today with a huge smile on her face as she walks around and is stopped by people happy to see her back here. Has been showing the grounds to her son.
« When I’m playing, I kind of make it a routine because it’s easier to deal with it », Swiatek about if it still feels special to get to a RG final. Says it’s better to forget about the stakes. « Usually it hits me after the tournament. »
« Usually it takes us like four hours to chill, do the recovery, media. We should start earlier. But it’s not up to us », Swiatek at press now about late finishes.
Swiatek and Lancôme exclusive: "It is Hollywood-like territory". Also, Nadal fights for Paris, more details emerged about that premium tour, how tennis lost Netflix but got Zendaya, and more.
Asked Iga Swiatek if she had changed her off court habits now that she’s used to life on Tour, and she said yes, that yesterday she didn’t have practice. « I just went to eat some great seafood, I was at the park, just walking around, looking for something to shop. »
Swiatek said she started too fast today, was missing too much and needed to get back into the game plan. « It took me a while », she said. « I’m trying to deal with my expectations and do the right thing at the right moment. »
« The way I felt on the court against him… I was inferior on the court, he was the better player. He wasn’t allowing me to have free points on my serve. I’ve never seen him serve that way, that fast. He really outplayed me,» Djokovic
« I would have loved a quarter-final at night and not at 11 am. It doesn’t make sense », Ons Jabeur. « I wish I could see the contract Prime signed », said Ons about getting no women’s match in the night session spot. « Start earlier », she also advises the tournament.
« I have to put my head down and do my very best. Every Ukrainian is using their own way to raise awareness and money. My way is through tennis, » Svitolina
Auger-Aliassime no longer working with Toni Nadal for now. He says they’re still in touch and Toni might be back at some point but for now he has asked his dad to travel more with him and join the team and so coach Fontang.
« He was just better than me in every aspect of the game. If someone had told me I’d play Wimbledon final three weeks ago I’d have taken it. It has to be a succès at the end of the day for me and my team, » Djokovic
« It was the most grueling schedule in any sport to begin with, and they’ve made it longer », Denis Shapovalov about the too many injuries we’ve seen this year and through this Wimbledon.
« The only thing that was going through my mind was that I missed Jana a lot, » says Krejcikova about how « emotional » she got seeing her name on the board alongside Novotna’s one. Says she thinks Jana would be « proud » today.
Dominic Thiem said he made peace with the end of his career at the start of the year. Very interesting to hear him say that looking back at his achievements at RG feels « amazing, much better than when I was in the middle of it. I didn’t realize how well I was playing. »
« It was the most grueling schedule in any sport to begin with, and they’ve made it longer », Denis Shapovalov about the too many injuries we’ve seen this year and through this Wimbledon.
« Watching from the sidelines, it makes you want to play anything and everything you can. Comparing yourself to your old self is never a good thing to do», Shapovalov about coming back from injury. Read also about Osaka and Krejcikova’s comeback trail
« It was a new experience because it’s the first time in quallies here for me but I tried to enjoy every si game moments because this tournament gave me so many great marche, so many great memories », Dominic Thiem after winning his first round in qualifications.
« I’m not anxious, I’m focused on trying to play. Maybe I will repeat the disaster of Rome but in my mind I’m going to give myself a chance to be competitive », Nadal
Tough to put into words how Sinner is hitting the s..t out of that ball. The easy power is just astounding. Seems to me is taking the ball way earlier lately too. Great striking-skills match with Djokovic. Talk about players who can get that ball to travel at a crazy pace.
Read Wim Fissette about Naomi Osaka's comeback, also read how Swiatek and Rublev escaped the Madrid's curse and why Microsoft and Asics are banking on women's tennis.
« I’m gonna give myself amnesia and think about it later because I still have a chance a trophy », Gauff about thinking over that Iga loss after trying to win the double final.
Nadal’s last French Open? « Don’t assume that. (..) It’s a big chance it’s gonna be my last RG but I will not say it’s 100% my last RG.» Said he’s been improving physically since Rome. « Mentally I have the right motivation to be here. Physically I have less limitations. »
Mirra Andreeva’s game is scary good. But what’s scarier is how quick she learns and how calm she gets under pressure. « I’m more stable in every way. (…) I’m not as nervous as I was last year. It’s a bit easier for me »,she said. 17 and afraid of nothing.
I said it before and I’ll say it again: I never finish a tournament fresher than at Wimbledon where there are no night sessions. At 11pm, no more play. It changes everything about not feeling like a zombie after these three weeks. If they can do it and thrive, then…
Also, are tennis players the new content creators? I asked Daria Kasatkina about her youtube channel and Caroline Garcia about her podcast. "Most people don’t see the struggles. It’s interesting and very important to show how it actually is"
Top players on the comeback trail: it's a tough journey
How to focus on the journey when the results don't come? A discussion with a few of the top players currently fighting to get back.
“The way he plays, the footwork, the flexibility he has, he does give us a lot of requirements. We try to make sure we are up to par on his demands and making the shoes for him trickles down to the other [shoes]», Mitsuyuki Tominaga for Asics on Djokovic.
Andreescu before her first round explained that playing at RG « was cutting it close ». Well, she must be glad she did! She talked about breaking her back, consequences and how she « always identified too much with the sport ».
Sinner has just started to play points since he arrived in Paris. Liked his answer about not liking to hear or think that he needs to be in the second week or has to fight for titles: « I can. But I don’t need to ». Says he’s confident he can play good tennis despite the context
Tennis is both brutal and brilliant. Wimbledon is coming for the Olympics. Nike is cutting suits. And do you know E.coli might be the sentence nobody wanted to have to say at the Games.
Mirra Andreeva’s game is scary good. But what’s scarier is how quick she learns and how calm she gets under pressure. « I’m more stable in every way. (…) I’m not as nervous as I was last year. It’s a bit easier for me »,she said. 17 and afraid of nothing.
Top players on the comeback trail: it's a tough journey
How to focus on the journey when the results don't come? A discussion with a few of the top players currently fighting to get back.
Felix Auger-Aliassime found a way back to his long-term career plan. “I didn’t need that week to keep believing because I’ve always believed”, he said. Read it all (his belief, his process, his father, Toni, etc.) here:
Federer doesn’t play but he can still rule a news cycle: On had its higher profits ($558 million) and announced new tennis players + RF/JW Anderson launched new collection w/ Uniqlo + Amazon announced release of the Federer documentary.
Thiem retired at 30 and we feel like it’s too young. But is it? He thinks still winning big at 36 or 37 isn’t normal, it’s the exception. Also the men’s draw at RG could go cray, Agassi is back, Coco still not afraid to speak, Alcaraz talks to the BBC.
Djokovic says he’ll play at Wimbledon only if he can fight for the title. In the meantime, Murray’s nightmare of a farewell tour goes on. Also will Nike’s athletes get an edge at the Olympics due to a new recovery tool? Lots to unpack today!
« Make the first serve, go for your shots, and be brave »: what Krejcikova was telling herself in that last serving game. And that even at 5-5, the match wasn’t over.
Sinner said he’s still not 100% and for sure has in the back of his head that there are some other big events coming up. But he feels fine enough to stay in that Madrid’s draw and so keeps a wait and see attitude.
On, Hoka, Lululemon: they’re among the outsiders trying to come for Nike and Adidas. Federer-backed On just signed Zendaya and its revenues keep growing. Fascinating times in the sportswear world:
Thiem saying he’ll take some time off after he’s done in October. We’re all like surely he mind a few months but he goes: « two or three weeks ». Bless his soul.
Is the Tour coming for the Grand Slam aura and, if yes, should it? Also read about how smart the Fedal brand is and why only Iga Swiatek can be called a favorite at Roland-Garros this year:
Can Rafa do more? Could you hit it like Iga? And also, it unfortunately really is injury season… + a great dive from ABC science into what we call choking under pressure:
« The hip feels good, I’m happy to be here », says Sinner. Also adds that the general physical shape isn’t where he wants it to be though. « But you can’t make miracles ».
Finishing at 2am, seeing all the rain falling on her schedule, tough opponents: Mirra Andreeva kind of looks like she doesn’t care and she will still win. I asked her how/why she is so serene. Answer: I just tell myself that I have to accept it. Easy no? This one is impressive.
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How much does tennis need Bianca Andreescu? A lot. Also in today’s edition: grass season started like wow, Murray’s retirement looming, healing virtually, a snub and a resignation:
Superb last game from Vekic! What a FH on the run to set up match point! She was 0-2 in Grand Sla quarter-finals but today she goes one step forward.First GS semi-final.After the heartbreak of Roland-Garros, surely even nicer. Breathing heavily on her chair, trying not to lose it
In today’s edition: what’s the mindset that gets some players to keep coming back? What do they (Nadal, Murray, Andreescu) say about it? Also the BBC is facing backlash over hiring Nick Kyrgios and the fashion at RG is a fail:
Nike, I swear… Alcaraz and Sinner outfit look like practice outfits, ok… That’s bad but ok… But Nadal!? Nadal on what could be his last RG!? What’s your excuse here?? They kinda tried with the tee but gosh it’s not landing. It’s not looking clay royal…
It is crazy to me that the bar for Nadal is still set at winning these matches and being a fav for Roland-Garros. Price to pay I guess for the career he’s had and the monster he created but still it’s insane. Him showing up at a tournament these days should be the bar.
Players are dropping like flies: time to act? Also Svitolina’s courage, Swiatek getting a needed break, deserving Wimbledon losers and new deals for sports.