Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic breaks down the key stories from the past week in tennis.
This week, the ATP Tour faced criticism for its extreme heat policy, the top two women players continued to have eventful seasons, and one player made an impressive debut in the top 10.
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‘Do you want a player to die on court?’
Valentin Vacherot’s remarkable victory against his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, at the Shanghai Masters captured attention, but the event was overshadowed by extreme heat and humidity.
World No. 2 Jannik Sinner struggled with severe cramps during his match against Tallon Griekspoor. Later that day, Novak Djokovic became so ill that he vomited on the court during his victory against Yannick Hanfmann.
After grappling with cramps, Daniil Medvedev even sought assistance to remove his drenched shirt from a ball girl. Amidst this chaos, Denmark’s Holger Rune raised an essential concern: “Why doesn’t the ATP have a heat rule? You want a player to die on the court?”
Two ‘strange’ years for the WTA’s top two?
Despite the surrounding noise at the conclusion of tournaments, it might seem that world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Świątek are having unremarkable seasons.
Sabalenka’s frustrations were evident after her semifinal loss to Jessica Pegula at the Wuhan Open, while Świątek faced an unexpected defeat to Jasmine Paolini. Yet they remain way ahead of their competitors in the rankings, with Sabalenka holding a considerable lead.
Sabalenka has amassed 10,000 points this year, winning the U.S. Open and multiple titles, while Świątek, despite a less-than-stellar season, has accomplished significant milestones, including winning her first Wimbledon title.
A title for a former world No. 1 at a unique event
Germany’s Angelique Kerber secured a victory at the Luxembourg Ladies Tennis Masters, an event tailored for players recently retired from professional tennis.
At 37, Kerber, who retired last year, faced fellow retiree Alizé Cornet and enjoyed the competitive experience after giving birth to her second child. The event serves as a platform for former players to embrace competitive tennis rather than typical exhibition matches.
A beacon of consistency breaking new ground?
Ekaterina Alexandrova has quietly broken into the world’s top 10 for the first time, making her mark at age 31 without any dramatic breakout moment during the season.
While she’s not widely recognized, her ascent from No. 28 at the year’s start to the top 10 resulted from consistent performances rather than standout victories, reflecting her steady progress throughout her career.
Shot of the week
During the Wuhan Open, Zhang Shuai managed a remarkable point, running forward to execute an unexpected shot to clinch a match point against Sorana Cîrstea.
🏆 The winners of the week
🎾 ATP: Vacherot (Q) defeated Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters, marking his first ATP Tour title.
🎾 WTA: Coco Gauff (3) overcame Jessica Pegula (6) 6-4, 7-5 to win the Wuhan Open, securing her second title this year.
📈📉 On the rise / Down the line
📈 Vacherot jumped 164 spots to a career-high No. 40 after his Shanghai success.
📈 Laura Siegemund re-entered the top 40, rising to No. 39.
📈 Arthur Rinderknech reached No. 28 after climbing 26 places.
📉 Gaël Monfils fell to No. 65, down 10 spots.
📉 Wang Xinyu dropped from No. 37 to No. 62.
📉 David Goffin fell 22 spots to No. 105.
📅 Coming up
🎾 ATP:
📍Almaty, Kazakhstan: Almaty Open
📍Brussels: European Open
📍Stockholm: Nordic Open
📺 UK: Sky Sports; U.S.: Tennis Channel 💻: Tennis TV
🎾 WTA:
📍Ningbo, China: Ningbo Open
📍Osaka, Japan: Japan Open
📺 UK: Sky Sports; U.S. / 💻: Tennis Channel
Share your thoughts about this week’s events in the comments as both men’s and women’s tours continue.
(Top photo: Getty Images; design: Eamonn Dalton)
