To wind up 2014, I’m reposting 14 articles I liked from this past season. I’ll put up one each day until January 5, when the new season begins. Today, a look back at the secret, not so savory, history of the Foro Italico. Time has its way with buildings. It

LONDON (AP) — Roger Federer is a father of four — two girls who are 13, two boys who are 8 — and so perhaps that is why, as he wraps up his playing career, he thinks about the “GOAT” debate that has engulfed the tennis world the way parents

Over the last dozen years, only a handful of men on the ATP tour have won Grand Slam titles or reached No. 1. For most players, the goal is just to make the semifinals or win smaller events. Many are talented enough to do more, but they struggle to believe

Casper Ruud wins one serious battle on Armstrong NEW YORK—Casper Ruud and Tommy Paul couldn’t be more different. Sure, they play a similar basic game—one built around an explosive forehand wing—but it's in personality where the two sharply diverge. Where Ruud presents unrelenting professionalism, Paul is an admittedly more laid-back

"I thought he was actually doing fine until he told me, 'I think there will be some tears.' I'm like, 'Don't worry, it will be all right.' And he actually did. You know, in a way it was hard to watch, but at the same time I like seeing players

It’s difficult to argue against both Ash Barty and Barbora Krejcikova as the WTA's best players so far in 2021. The Czech—who defeated Garbiñe Muguruza on Thursday—owns 39 singles wins to go along with a French Open title, as well as a pair of WTA 250 titles in Strasbourg and

Perhaps, as the son of a lawyer, John McEnroe possessed a superpower that let him know the precise limits of the law. For whenever McEnroe threw a tantrum, he was always keenly aware of the line separating compliance from violation—the score, the officials, the rules, even the significance of the

This weekend at the Cincinnati Open, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka will play a qualifying match at a WTA tournament for the first time in six years. The former world No. 1, in the midst of a comeback season after her 2023 maternity leave, will play Anna Blinkova on

PARIS(AP) At nearly 6 feet, 5 inches, the big-serving Marin Cilic poses more of a threat on grass and hard courts. But the 10th-seeded Croat is finding the current conditions at Roland Garros may suit his game. Cilic beat Ricardo Mello of Brazil 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the first

In a year of superstar injuries and the renaissance of legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the third-best player has been 20-year-old Alexander Zverev. He stands tall as the No. 2 seed for Beijing’s China Open.

“Is this a match, or a friendly?” The question came from former tennis and soccer player John McEnroe, who was commentating on the fourth-round encounter between Viktor Troicki and his fellow Serb Novak Djokovic. Troicki had just held his racquet up in Djokovic’s direction after a Hawk-Eye replay. McEnroe said,

PARIS—Madison Keys looked up at her player box, clenched and unclenched her right fist, and took the deepest of deep breaths. “Why,” she seemed to be asking herself, and her coach, Lindsay Davenport, “am I still out here?” Good question. For the vast majority of the previous 75 minutes, Keys

MELBOURNE–The first time two players meet: What does it reveal? How heavily is territory marked? Is it a chance to construct, or annihilate, a relationship with a new rival? Beyond matters of nation, age, and stage, is the tennis itself compelling? Cliché dictates the loser will learn much—what about the

PARIS (AP)—All that stands between Rafael Nadal and a fifth French Open title is the only player ever to beat him at Roland Garros. Nadal and Robin Soderling won semifinals Friday to set up a tantalizing rematch. Soderling pulled off a stunner when they met in the fourth round last

Carlos Alcaraz hit a major career milestone in Beijing on Sunday night, recording the 200th tour-level win of his career with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Tallon Griekspoor at the ATP 500 event. The 21-year-old is the first man born in 2003 or later—or even 2002 or later—to hit that

Before each day's play at Indian Wells, we'll preview a pair of must-see matches. Our breakdowns will also include each players' UTR. What is UTR? Go to our Tennis Magazine feature and learn more. *Venus Williams (USA) - WTA No. 36, UTR No. 53 (12.83) Andrea Petkovic (GER) - WTA

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP)—American Taylor Dent has lost to Go Soeda in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. Soeda, Japan's top-ranked player, won 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 on Monday for his second career ATP tour victory. The other came in Beijing in 2008. The eighth-seeded Dent, still trying

MASON, Ohio (AP) A seven-minute rain delay saved Mardy Fish. Fish turned the brief break in the second set into a rallying point Saturday. Only one game away from a straight-set defeat, he pulled out 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 victory over boyhood friend and high school teammate Andy Roddick in

LONDON—“Surprised but not surprised. I knew she could play this kind of tennis but, perhaps, not quite this quickly.” Patrick Mouratoglou was standing on the Players’ Lawn at the All England Club, acknowledging passers by (including John McEnroe of whom more later) and talking, naturally of Coco Gauff, the 15-year-old

BRISBANE, Australia (AP)—Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters quit her semifinal because of an ailing hip Friday, the second top player in the Brisbane International to sustain an injury leading to the year’s first major. Clijsters won the opening set 7-6 (4) against Daniela Hantuchova but was broken at the start