Last year’s WTA Finals encapsulated Jessica Pegula the tennis player. Since her breakout season in 2021, she had become a late-round fixture at the sport’s biggest events, but was coming up short when it mattered most. Earlier that season, at Wimbledon, Pegula reached the quarterfinal stage at a Grand Slam

The Technology Billionaire Helped Keep Tennis Alive in the California Desert. One day in February 2006, two tennis nuts from the San Francisco Bay area drove down to San Jose to watch a little of the pro game. One of them, Sandy Mayer, had been a Wimbledon semifinalist. The other

NEW YORK—As defending US Open champion and world No. 1 Naomi Osaka entered Arthur Ashe Stadium just after noon on Monday to play her fourth-round match against 13th-seeded Belinda Bencic, the good news was that she was certain to have strong crowd support. Osaka’s gracious post-match interaction with Coco Gauff

I'll be writing from Indian Wells for the next 10 days or so, but I'll start with a Reading the Readers question on a well-known topic related to the tournament. If you have questions or comments for future versions of this column, please email me at stignor@tennismagazine.com.

April is undeniably cruel to New Yorkers; cruel in the way that it dangles a better future in front of us—sunshine and 70 degrees, T-shirts and open windows—only to snatch it back with a blustery snarl and a lash of cold rain to the face. Pulling back the curtain in

WATCH—The fourth episode of The Ten: Seasons airs on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST:

Last Thursday morning, while I was drinking coffee and two tennis players, Florian Mayer and Juan Ignacio Chela, were traipsing groggily around a hot-looking clay court on the TV, church bells started to ring down the street. I live in an Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, around the corner from the

On the opening day of Wimbledon 2013, only one men’s match went the distance—Julien Reister’s three-and-a-half hour, 6-4 in-the-fifth win over. . . Lukas Rosol. But ironically, the seismic news of the day was generated by the man who made Rosol a household name at about this same time last

If you've watched enough tennis, you know that all other things being equal , style is destiny. Of course, all other things are not always equal, which is how Rafael Nadal came to be the defending champion at the Pacific Life Open this year. Courage, fitness, determination, self-control, emotions, mental

PARIS—Certain matches transcend our familiar definitions and labels, and we witnessed one of those today in the French Open men’s semifinals at Roland Garros. Defending champion Rafael Nadal survived the bludgeoning groundstrokes of Novak Djokovic in five sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3), 9-7. “Epic” may sound not quite right,

Howdy, everyone (and way to keep your eye on the ball, dude!) Well TW's OKRECS (Official Keeper of the Records), Master Ace/Patrick Hinton set the table with his 3-set highlights of 2008 yesterday, so today it's time to roll out marquee matches of an entirely different order of magnitude -

NEW YORK—It wasn’t easy; but then it isn’t meant to be, not when this peak moment in your tennis career, triumph at a Grand Slam event, has come—and gone—four times, passing you by on each occasion like a bus driver who just couldn’t be bothered to stop and pick you

The first part of this story provided an intimate look at the destruction, and heartbreak, caused by this January’s Southern California wildfires. Below is the second part, which explores the Altadena tennis community, and how the world looks now for Altadena and Pacific Palisades. The Anti-Club: Altadena’s Diverse Mix Tennis’

BAG CHECK: See what Big Foe has packed

Those who have observed Rafael Nadal across the heart of his career are fully aware that he is a singularly humble individual living among the community of champions. He never takes anything for granted, always conducts himself honorably, and faces his many challenges forthrightly. The inimitable Spaniard has dealt with

Can Rafa finally get a win? Can Djokovic tie Federer? Which of the Next Genners stands the best chance? In this week's Rally, Joel Drucker and Steve Tignor preview the Nitto ATP Finals. Hi Steve, This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Nitto ATP Finals. Granted, that hasn’t always

There they were again at Roland Garros, claiming three of the four semifinal slots, making their presence known once more to the delight of their loyal followers, turning the French Open into another showcase for their longstanding excellence. The Big 3—Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer—were all front and

The Biggest Questions for 2019: Who will finish No. 1 in the WTA?

The Greatest of All Time debate: a well-established recipe for tedium, but irresistible nonetheless. The Tennis Channel was the latest media outfit to wade into it, with its ambitious, well made, and predictably controversial list of the Top 100, which ran a few weeks ago. I feel whatever pain the

Was it Rod Laver or Pete Sampras who said you’re only as good as your second serve? Both of them, I would hazard to guess. After watching two WTA finals yesterday, I’d say we should amend that phrase for the women’s game. There, you’re only as good as your forehand.