NEW EPISODE: Backhands With Chris Eubanks
Double-fisters vs. one-handers and flash vs. function.
Context-free soundbite: “You couldn’t confuse him on that side at 55 years old, when I could still serve 139.”
Welcome back, Chuckers. In today’s episode, Andy and Chris Eubanks pick up where they left off last week—choosing the best ATP forehands of all time—and run around to ATP backhands.
There’s more Served coming your way this week:
Love All With Kim Clijsters on Wednesday
Q&Andy on Thursday, talking umpiring and on-court etiquette
5 Setter on Friday
Watch the full episode below, then come back here for this week’s bonus stories, and meet us in the Substack chat with your takes.
Dubai-Bye
After both Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek pulled out of this week’s WTA 1000 in Dubai two days before the main draw started, the tournament director proposed stricter fines for withdrawals from mandatory events.
🎤 Salah Tahlak, Dubai Tournament Director
“There should be a harsher punishment on the players [for withdrawing], not just fines. They should be docked ranking points. It’s a shame that we’re spending these huge amounts to upgrade our facilities and in the end the players are the main part (of this tournament).”
Tahlak suggested players lose 500 or 1,000 points for missing a mandatory tournament.
This isn’t just a rant. Tahlak says he plans to raise the issue at an upcoming leadership meeting. He has the clout to make waves. Tahlak has been influential in tennis leadership for over 20 years and has sat on both the ATP and WTA tournament councils. (Read More: The National)
Two Teens in the Top 10
Two teenagers are ranked in the WTA’s Top 10 for the first time since 2009.
Victoria Mboko, 19, broke into the upper echelon this week after making the final of the WTA 1000 in Doha. She joins 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, whom Mboko beat in Doha. Andreeva sits at world No. 7 and Mboko is No. 10.
Mboko is the fourth Canadian woman to make the Top 10, after Carling Basset-Seguso, Genie Bouchard and Bianca Andreescu. Mboko would need to reach No. 3 to become the highest-ranked Canadian woman ever. No Canadian player, man or woman, has been ranked higher than No. 3 in the world (Milos Raonic).
Andy talked with Mboko about her breakthrough last summer.
Both Mboko and Andreeva are in elite company. Here are some notable Top 10 teens over the last 50 years. (It’s not a comprehensive list.)
A Fourth to Be Reckoned With
Luciano Darderi is approaching the Top 20 faster than he ran off court at the Australian Open last month.
Up to a career-high No. 21 this week, Darderi is close to making it four Italians in the Top 20, along with Jannik Sinner, Lorenzo Musetti and Flavio Cobolli.
The 24-year-old had a 15-match winning streak on clay before losing the Buenos Aires final to Francisco Cerundolo on Sunday. The run included two ATP 250 titles in July last summer.
Darderi sits 51 points back from No. 20 Cobolli and is defending only 50 points over the next two weeks as the Golden Swing continues in South America. Keep an eye on Darderi in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile, this month.
More ATP ranking moves
Novak Djokovic reclaimed the No. 3 spot
Alex de Minaur is back up to his career-high No. 6
Marin Cilic is back in the Top 50
Stan Wawrinka returned to the Top 100 after a win in Rotterdam last week over an opponent less than half his age
Quick Hits
Australia’s Destanee Aiava announced her retirement (at just 25) with a bombshell of a social media message, calling tennis “racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile.” (Tennis.com)
In honor of Black History Month, the International Tennis Hall of Fame has expanded its digital exhibit Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis with 10 new trailblazers for 2026, including Chris Eubanks.
With his win in Buenos Aires, Francisco Cerundolo has the most clay wins on tour (46) since the start of 2024.
The Qatar Open last week was the first WTA 1000 since August 2021 without either Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff or Jessica Pegula in the semifinals.
Perfect Delivery
After Ben Shelton won the Dallas Open Sunday, he beelined for his player’s box and hugged girlfriend Trinity Rodman without toweling off.
“EWWWWWW,” she said of the sweaty embrace.
There were no hard feelings, though. Shelton had his girl’s back on social media later.
Turns out, love means a lot in tennis.
Stat of the Day
3
Titles Ben Shelton has won at the ATP 500 level or higher
Shelton’s Dallas Open win separated him from his fellow American men in one key department—he has now won more than two ATP 500 and 1000 titles, the first American man since Andy Roddick to bag a trio of non-250s.
Listen to the show for Andy’s take on the surprising stat.
PADEL: Red Bull TV is streaming quarterfinals, semifinals and finals live from all 26 Premier Padel tour stops this season. Early-round matches can be found on its YouTube channel. (International broadcast list)
PICKLEBALL: Centerline Athletics, the official apparel sponsor for the major pickleball tours, is blowing up in pop culture and reported a 437% year-over-year revenue increase in 2025. (NY Post)
RACQUETBALL: The 2026 US Open was postponed for another year after the host facility in St. Louis suffered water damage. The tournament was making a return after a three-year hiatus. (Daily Racquetball)
SQUASH: This is a beautiful ode to the resilience of Olivia Weaver, the world No. 4, who is up against a brick wall of a Big 3 in women’s squash. (The Nick on Substack)
Are You Keeping Up With Served?
Don’t Miss a Second of Served
Connect with us on socials.
Check out the Served Merch Shop.
Subscribe to our YouTube page.
Submit a question for Q&Andy.
Join our Substack community.
Honorable mention for Gasquet’s backhand?
Dubai-Bye xD