All Posts

Hard courts reward power, clay rewards patience.  The best players master both. As the tour leaves the sun and fun of the US hard courts, our attention turns to the grind of the clay.  Hard courts reward first-strike tennis: big serves and big forehands.  Clay courts reward point construction, spin, and stamina.  Points are longer, margins are smaller, and fitness and patience become weapons.  Clay courts don't just test your game; they expose your flaws. The tour's first sto

Every now and then, something comes along in tennis that makes you pause and say, " Okay… this is different ." That's exactly what the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) League is. The first tournament of the season was recently played in Nîmes, France, at a historic double-tiered amphitheater known for bullfights and concerts. The Bastide UTS Nîmes event is part of a series of UTS tournaments that make the Ultimate Tennis Showdown so exciting. Now let me be clear—this isn't

Every tennis fan should experience the Miami Open at least once . Television shows you the matches—but being there in person reveals something completely different. The access, the atmosphere, the culture, and the energy make this one of the most unique tournaments in the sport. If you love tennis, this event belongs on your bucket list. The Miami Open is a mandatory stop  on both the ATP Tour and the WTA Tour. That means the top players in the world are required to play , so

2025 BNP Paribas Open Champions Every March, the tennis world shifts its focus to the US for two events: the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and the Miami Open in Miami.  These tournaments, together known as the Sunshine Double , have a history of making their combined victory a rare and highly coveted achievement. Winning both isn't just rare; they require the ultimate test of consistency, endurance, and adaptability. Here are some key reasons for its importance: Elite Pres

By now, everyone knows the history: It was April 15, 1947, and first baseman Jackie Roosevelt Robinson makes his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball club at Ebbets Field. As the first African American to play professional sports with white players, in the modern era, he would end 50 years of racial segregation in sports, end of story! But what many people don’t know is that it was the sport of Tennis, not Baseball that first allowed integrated play. I know that many tenn

A Journey Through Tennis In the story of American tennis, many names shine under the bright lights of fame. Others excelled without the spotlight. Junie “Chat” Chatman, a Richmond, Virginia native, is one of those figures — a talented player, a dedicated coach, and a mentor whose influence has reached beyond the court. His journey reflects both the triumphs and the trials of a Black athlete navigating a sport that has not always been welcoming to people of color. Discovering

Lucy Diggs Slowe A Tennis player's ability to excel in the face of difficult and daunting challenges leaves us “mere mortals” in awe.  When watching Coco Gauff showcase an amazing arsenal of backhand passing shots. In all thing’s tennis, she is iconic. However, let’s suppose that not only could Gauff play championship-level tennis and earn several advanced degrees in various fields of study, but also become an esteemed professor at a major university and establish an organiza

Ruffin & Robert "Bob" Ryland at the 2007 US Open Robert Ryland is not a household name in tennis. That omission says more about the sport than it does about him. Robert “Bob” Ryland was born in 1920 in Chicago, Illinois, where he learned to play the game at age 9 on public courts.  Taught by his father, playing for the Chicago Prairie Tennis Club, his talent was evident. His talent was great enough to propel him to win the Illinois State High School title over Jimmy Evert,

Top 2026 tennis racquets featuring Wilson Blade 98, Babolat Pure Aero, Head Speed Tour, and Yonex Ezone 98 for elite control, power, spin, and all-court performance.

A large number of ATP/WTA players vacation in the  Maldives  through sponsorship deals that offer complimentary, luxurious vacations  in exchange for social media promotion. Additionally, the Maldives offers highly desirable features like privacy and opportunities for relaxation after a grueling season.  Key reasons for the Maldives' Popularity   Sponsorship and Marketing Deals:  Many players, especially top-ranked ones, receive all-expenses-paid trips (including flights and

Have you ever wondered how you stack up against the pros? Or even against your fellow amateur tennis friends? There are several rating systems designed to help you gauge your skill level based on your performance in actual competitions. The three main systems used today are the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP), the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR), and the World Tennis Number (WTN). Let’s dive into each one. The National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) The National Tennis Rati

When Ivan Lendl walked onto the court during the 2025 US Open Men's Finals trophy ceremony, it was more than a nod to tennis history—it was a living reminder of an era that shaped the modern game. For longtime tennis fans, it was a wave to the past. For newer tennis enthusiasts, it was an acknowledgment of a coach who has profoundly influenced the sport, especially known for his role with Andy Murray. But it sparked curiosity: Who is Ivan Lendl? Let’s explore his rise to grea

🔹 What Were the ATP Super 9? Launched in 1990 , the Super 9 was the ATP's answer to the Grand Slam monopoly. It created a tier of...

Have you ever wondered how a modern tennis ball came to be?  The sport of tennis can be traced back to the French game “Jeu de ” from the 12th Century, where players used their palms to hit a ball over a net or against a wall.  But what about the ball? The original tennis balls were made of wood.  Over time, the ball evolved from materials made of cork with tightly wound fabric and hand-sewn wool cloth [1]  to leather with sawdust added inside to provide extra bounce, and eve

By James Skinner   I was saddened to hear about the recent passing of Joseph Oyebog, Sr . Who was he? You may ask. To be honest, until about 3 years ago, I had not heard of him myself. While surfing through a myriad of Instagram Tennis clips, I stumbled on a series of incredible videos of little children in Africa playing tennis. With military precision, they were hitting technically sound forehands and backhands, their faces lit up with joy and glee. Often, they could be hea

While both sports are racquet-based and share some similarities, their differences in culture, infrastructure, and popularity have led to clashes...

It seems that more and more major WTA and ATP events are slowly replacing human line judges with electronic line-calling systems like...

Prince Classic It's the 70's tennis boom in America.  Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert are America's sweethearts.  Everyone is wearing a...

The "GOAT" conversation in tennis is as timeless as a five-setter at Wimbledon. Fans and players alike have their favorites, but what makes one player greater than another? Is it Grand Slam titles? Weeks at No. 1? Head-to-head records? Legacy and influence?  At Which Side Do You Want , we dive deeper than just the trophy count to explore the full range of metrics that can determine tennis greatness. Because when it comes to picking a side, context matters as much as stats. Cr