NEW EPISODE: Chris Eubanks Debates G.O.A.T. Forehands
Plus:
Context-free soundbite: “His forehand was too early for his technology and he still went rip city.”
This week on Served, Chris Eubanks is in the house to wonk out on the best forehands of all time with Andy, going back to the dawn of graphite rackets.
They also discuss recent results, the return of Zheng Qinwen, Felix Auger-Aliassime’s new record and whether tennis should be a winter Olympic sport.
There’s more Served coming your way this week.
Love All on Wednesday
Q&Andy on Thursday
5 Setter on Friday
Watch the full episode below, then read today’s bonus stories and join our Substack chat to debate forehands. While you’re there, submit a question for Q&Andy, or email yours to askandy@servedmediagroup.com.
Biggest headlines from this week’s episode
Zheng Qinwen and Jack Draper returned: Both former Top 10 players won their first matches back after injury layoffs.
Felix Auger-Aliassime set a record: He defended his title in Monpellier and passed Milos Raonic for the most titles won by a Canadian man (nine—eight of them indoor).
Sorana Cirstea won at home: In her final year, the Romanian won her fourth title in Cluj-Napoca.
Stories we love this week
Serena to Be Reinstated
This story did make the cut, but here is more context to Andy and JW’s thoughts on Serena Williams’s comeback, which is looking more like a question of when, not if. The International Tennis Integrity Agency, which oversees anti-doping requirements, announced that she will be reinstated to compete on February 22.
Ben Rothenberg at Bounces reported the news yesterday.
Retired players must participate in the ITIA’s drug-testing program for six months to be reinstated. Though Williams hasn’t confirmed a comeback, this timeline isn’t exactly dousing the chatter:
August 2025: According to Bounces, Williams asked the ITIA to reinstate her and was denied.
October 2025: The ITIA added Williams to its list of players in the anti-coping program.
November 2025: Reddit users noticed the list.
Dec. 3, 2025: Tipped off by Redditors, the media first reported the news, confirming it with the ITIA. Williams issued a denial on X, saying she is “not coming back.”
Jan. 28, 2026: Williams appeared on Today and softened her denial into an “I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens.”
Feb. 9, 2026: The ITIA added her to the list of reinstated players for this month, effective February 22.
So the wildcard watch begins: Will she join Venus for doubles at Indian Wells or Miami next month, and will she give singles another go?
College Senior Steals Davis Cup Show
A Wake Forest University student emerged as the hero from the 13 World Group Davis Cup ties played over the weekend. Ranked No. 465, 25-year-old Dhakshineswar Suresh of India won three rubbers–two singles and the doubles–to lead his team past the Netherlands 3–2 in front of a frenzied crowd in Bengaluru, India.
Suresh upset the No. 88– and No. 146–ranked players in the world.
India has now won three consecutive Davis Cup ties for the first time since 2014. Last year, the team stunned Switzerland to win its way into this year’s top-level bracket. (Read More)
Their next opponent is in the same boat. South Korea moved up by winning in the World Group I playoffs last year and produced a dramatic 3–2 upset over Argentina Sunday. Hyeon Chung, the inaugural Next Gen champ whose career was derailed early by injuries, clinched the tie in front of a home crowd.
South Korea was a couple games away from elimination in the fourth rubber, but Soonwoo Kwon pulled out the match after trailing a break in the third set, and Chung brought it home.
The other winners moving on to the semifinals in September are:
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Chile
Croatia
Czech Republic
Ecuador
France
Germany
Great Britain
Spain (bye)
United States
Quick Hits
Vera Zvonareva, the 2010 Wimbledon and US Open finalist, qualified for Doha and beat Peyton Stearns in the first round at age 41.
Andre Agassi and IBM are launching an AI-powered racket-sports platform. (Hard Court)
Jannik Sinner chose practice over attending the Olympics in his backyard. (MSN)
Novak Djokovic didn’t—he watched figure skater Ilia Malinin’s backflip live. (Newsweek)
Speaking of tennis and the winter Olympics, here’s the racket sport we want to see. ⬇️
Cool stories with crazy stats
Zheng Qinwen returned from a long injury layoff this week and beat Sofia Kenin in the first round of the WTA 1000 Qatar Open in Doha. Here’s how Queenwen’s story played out across three sets.
20
Aces
85
Percentage of first-serve points won
43
Winners
35
Zheng’s spot on the WTA’s 2026 aces leaderboard after playing just one match
2
Matches she had played since her elbow surgery in July before this week
6
Break point chances Zheng had, converting four
4
Her career-high ranking, in June 2025
26
Her current ranking
77
Ranking of her next opponent, Alycia Parks
$22.6 million
Zheng’s endorsement earnings in 2025, making her the fifth highest-paid female athlete in the world, according to Forbes
PICKLEBALL: Anna Leigh Waters’s new paddle, the Franklin C45 Aurelius, was approved for pro play this week and is available to the public now. She showed off the gear on the Pat McAfee Show. (PPA on YouTube)
RACQUETBALL: Congratulations to Rhonda Rajsich and Scott Winters, who will be inducted into the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame this week at the National Indoor Championships in Tempe, Arizona. (USA Racquetball)
BADMINTON: China’s men’s team defended its title in the Asia Team Championships over the weekend, and South Korea’s women’s team upset defending champ India. (Badminton World Federation)
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For the 2012+ best forehands, how did you leave Berrettini off the list? The guy has a go-go gadget right arm.