On Monday the ratings came in for the Super Bowl. It had been assumed, with major markets like Boston’s and New York’s represented, and Madonna performing the halftime show, that the numbers would be big, and they were: 111 million people tuned in for America’s gaudiest sporting spectacle. It was,

Last year, for the 50th anniversary of TENNIS Magazine, we focused on the past. Given the tome of stories we’d told, and the trove of players and matches we’d witnessed over the past half-century, it was only natural to look back. And it was comical to even consider doing something

“It’s not about whether you’re a man or a woman, it’s whether you can do the job, and she can.” Those words have become Lucas Pouille’s mantra over the last week and a half. After failing to win a match since October, the 24-year-old Pouille suddenly finds himself in his

PARIS—So…that was only the quarterfinals? Tennis doesn’t lack for classics these days, and you can add Djokovic-Tsonga to the long list from this era. What I keep seeing when I think about the match is the two players, at a crucial stage, carefully slicing the ball back and forth. It’s

It had to be these two. Rafael Nadal is No. 1, Novak Djokovic is No. 2. They won three of the four Grand Slams between them this year, and either Rafa or Nole appeared in all four major finals. Perhaps even more impressively, they won eight of the nine Masters

School is very much in on the ATP tour this fall. Two weeks ago, 19-year-old Alexander Zverev of Germany won his first title in St. Petersburg. This past weekend, 20-year-old Karen Khachanov of Russia did the same in Chengdu. Suddenly, after years of wondering who the future of the men’s

“His forehand is a velvet sledgehammer.” That was Australian commentator Todd Woodbridge’s initial description of Robin Soderling’s best shot on Sunday in Brisbane. It didn’t take long for Woodbridge to amend the statement. “Actually, it’s more like just a pure sledgehammer.” The second analysis was the accurate one. “Velvet” is

The men reach Peak Asia this week, when they convene for their eighth Masters 1000 event of the season, in Shanghai. The women, after gathering for their own Peak Asia week in Beijing, scatter to three smaller events, in Hong Kong, Tianjin, and Linz. While Rafael Nadal tightened his hold

They’ve been to Oz, they’ve been to Asia, they’ve been to the States twice. But the ATP tour and its players never stray far from Europe for long. Naturally: That’s where the best of them come from these days. The tour has returned once again to the Continent, for its

PARIS (AP)—The French Tennis Federation voted to keep the French Open at its traditional Roland Garros venue and renovate the existing site by making it considerably larger, more attractive and modern, rather than moving it elsewhere. Three other venues were bidding to host the clay-court Grand Slam tournament by 2016.

Last night, in Major League Baseball’s American League Wild Card Game, the Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees, 3-0, earning the right to play the Kansas City Royals in the next round of the postseason. Three years ago, MLB decided to add a second Wild Card team to its

Each day during the French Open, we'll preview—and predict the winner of—three of the most compelling men's matches. (9) Juan Martin del Potro vs. (7) Tomas Berdych —Head to Head: Del Potro leads 3-2 This battle of big men returns to red clay after Berdych beat del Potro in two

Each day during the French Open, we'll preview—and predict the winner of—three of the most compelling women's matches. (3) Agnieszka Radwanska vs. (26) Svetlana Kuznetsova —Head to Head: Kuznetsova leads 9-3 On paper, this match offers ideal upset conditions: Kuznetsova, who has not dropped a set this week, is a

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Andy Roddick was cracking crude jokes. Kim Clijsters stunned the crowd by trying a running chest-bump with Sam Stosur. Rafa and Roger took time out from their rivalry to exchange high-fives and play on the same side of the net. The sold-out fundraiser for Australia’s flood victims—dubbed the

MADRID (AP)—Novak Djokovic extended his season-opening winning streak to 29 matches Thursday at the Madrid Open, equaling the best start in men’s tennis in 25 years. The Australian Open champion won all 21 of his first service points to defeat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-1, 6-2 and advance to the quarterfinals. He

I have a problem with the names of tennis’ season-ending championships. It's not that I don’t think “WTA Championships” accurately conveys the importance of the event, or that the former “Tennis Masters Cup” sounds so much cooler than today’s “ATP World Tour Finals.” And I’m not even talking about the

Below is a recap of the ATP Finals championship match, won by Daniil Medvedev over Dominic Thiem, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4. An additional report from Steve Tignor will follow. THIRD SET—Medvedev wins 6-4: Above all, Daniil Medvedev held on. He held serve every time he tossed the balls after the

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Defending champion Roger Federer advanced to the Australian Open semifinals with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Stanislas Wawrinka on Tuesday in a mismatch that had the intensity of a practice session. Federer, aiming to become the first man to win five Australian titles, was playing in his

WIMBLEDON, England (AP)—Two days after his stunning upset of Rafael Nadal, Lukas Rosol returned to reality. Gone was the Centre Court crowd, the massive TV audience and the unique atmosphere of playing on tennis' biggest stage. Gone, also, was the level of tennis that turned the previously little-known Rosol into

The editors of TENNIS.com preview Wednesday's French Open quarterfinals—and offer their picks. (4) Andy Murray vs. (6) David Ferrer —Head-to-Head: Murray leads 5-4 What Murray must to do win: The Scot enjoys grinding away along the baseline, but that won’t get him far against Ferrer, who has won all three