Happy Friday, everyone! Time for your weekly rally through the Top 5 stories in tennis, racket sports, culture, and beyond.
Keep reading for our trivia question that’s all about the legend Venus Williams taking down NCAA Champions both past and present.
1️⃣ Sinner Rehires Fitness Coach After Doping Case
Back On The Team: Jannik Sinner rehired his former fitness coach Umberto Ferrara, nearly a year after firing him and physio Giacomo Naldi for their roles in the World No. 1’s doping case. The move comes as Sinner looks to steady his team, following his recent dismissal of fitness coach Marco Panichi and his physio Ulises Badio just before Wimbledon.
Controversial Reunion: Ferrara was at the center of the doping case that resulted in Sinner’s three-month ban earlier this year. He had purchased the healing spray that contained the banned anabolic steroid clostebol, which, Sinner said, Naldi used before treating him. Sinner’s team released the following statement:
“Umberto has played an important role in Jannik's development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level. The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik's management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open.”
Sense Of Stability: With Ferrara back on board and coach Darren Cahill staying on for the foreseeable future, the Wimbledon champion appears to be prioritizing stability after a season marked by disruption.
2️⃣ Wimbledon Expansion Plans Move Forward
Major Upgrade: Plans to triple the size of the All England Club are moving forward. A High Court judge dismissed the legal challenge brought by the “Save Wimbledon Park” group, clearing the way for a massive expansion. The $270 million project includes 38 new courts, an 8,000-seat stadium, additional access points, and seven maintenance buildings.
More Space, More Tennis: Beyond the tennis infrastructure, the proposal also adds new public parkland and allows for Wimbledon qualifying rounds to be hosted on site rather than at a separate venue.
What’s Next?: Despite Monday’s court ruling, the director of SWP said the group plans to appeal the decision, so while the AELTC won this round, the fight may not be over. We’ll keep you updated when there are any developments.
3️⃣ Summer Heat Takes A Toll on Players & Fans
Incident in DC: Play was suspended during the Daniil Medvedev-Reilly Opelka match in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday after a heat-affected fan began yelling for help mid-rally. Tournament staff rushed to assist them, and other spectators nearby later reported the person recovered and was doing okay after receiving medical attention.
Courtside Concern: After winning the match, Medvedev made a point to address the moment, saying: “first of all, I hope the person is fine. The stands are not easy when it’s that hot, and it’s full sun.”
Temperatures reached nearly 90 degrees in DC Wednesday and a heat advisory was issued for the area on Friday. The tournament has been using small fans to cool-off players during breaks as well as umbrellas to provide some shade.
Heat Issues Continue: This isn’t the first instance of fans struggling in the heat this season. At Wimbledon, players like Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka stepped in to help spectators by handing out water and towels. The All England Club reported its hottest opening day ever this year.
4️⃣ Team Nominations Set For BJK Cup Finals
No Gauff For USA: Team USA’s lineup is locked in for September’s BJK Cup Finals, but it won’t include top-ranked American, World No. 2 Coco Gauff. Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Hailey Baptiste, and Taylor Townsend will represent the US.
Captain’s Corner: Team Captain Lindsay Davenport shared some ‘roster-building’ insight with Andy on Served last year. She said building a winning team means considering chemistry, versatility, and knowing who’s ready to compete under pressure. You can find that full interview here.
Finals Set: China, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Spain, and Ukraine will also compete in the Finals. The US faces Kazakhstan on September 18 in China.
5️⃣ All Hail Queen Venus
Making History (Again): Venus Williams turned back the clock Tuesday at the DC Open, beating 23-year-old Peyton Stearns to become the second-oldest woman ever to win a tour-level singles match. The 45-year-old had already won Wimbledon twice and the US Open twice before Stearns was born. It was her first singles victory in nearly two years.
Comeback Ends: Despite encouraging chants of “Venus, Venus” from the D.C. crowd Thursday night, Williams lost to Magdalena Frech. While her tournament-run has ended, the seven-time major winner picked up a doubles win alongside Hailey Baptiste this week before the pair lost in the quarterfinals.
More Venus To Come: Williams received a wild-card entry into the Cincinnati Open and said she’s looking forward to return to the event. She’s also on the entry list to compete in mixed doubles at the US Open with Riley Opelka. Wild-card entries for that event will be announced soon.
In The 5 Setter Podcast we asked: Venus Williams beat 2022 NCAA Singles Champ Peyton Stearns this week. Venus won her first professional match, at age 14, against the 1988 NCAA Singles Champ…who was it?
The answer: Shaun Stafford! Stafford won the NCAA title while at the University of Florida. Williams won their match 6-3, 6-4 and, at the risk of being cliche, the rest is history.
What To Watch For:
Prague Open (WTA 250): No. 1 seed Linda Noskova is back in the semis in Prague for the fourth consecutive year. Two other Czech women also advanced to the final four.
Croatia Open (ATP 250): No. 2 seed Luciano Darderi is the highest seed to advance the semifinal round. He’ll face Camilo Ugo Carabelli, who is looking for his first career title, as is Carlos Taberner who also reached the final four.
Generali Open (ATP 250): Top seed Alexander Bublik looks for titles in back-to-back weeks on clay. Arthur Rinderknech is the only other seeded player left in the draw.
DC Open (ATP & WTA 500): Ben Shelton & Frances Tiafoe will meet in a blockbuster quarterfinal matchup on Friday. Taylor Fritz also advanced to the quarters. Taylor Townsend is the last American woman left in the draw, while Elena Rybakina, Emma Raducanu, and Clara Tauson are all still in the hunt.
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