Miami Open 2024 Edition

Happy Friday! The Sunshine Swing is nearing a close as the Miami Open wraps up this weekend. Given that it rained more in Indian Wells and Miami than it did here in Portland, the back-to-back events may need another name. Maybe the Temperamental Twirl?

Miami Open Update

• The Women’s Final is set for tomorrow. Danielle Collins and Elena Rybakina square off to take home the title and a casual $1.1M in prize money. Runner-up earns close to $600k, just enough for 2 InterMiami FC home game tickets to watch Lionel Messi. Go Collins!

• The Men’s Semi-final matches are on today:

  • Sinner & Medvedev play in their seventh meeting since the start of 2023. Daniil leads the rivalry 6-4, though Sinner has gotten the best of him the last 4 times, including in this year’s incredible Australian Open final. Prediction: blisters for both

  • Zverev and surprise semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov clash in their 9th ever meeting. Zverev has dominated this match up, leading 7-1. The last time Grigor came out on top? 2014. C’mon Grigor!

ATP

Trouble in Paradise

After a disappointing start to this season, Novak Djokovic has split with his coach of 6 years, Goran Ivanisevic. Despite the surprising break up, the duo has a lot to be proud of. With Goran, Novak won 12 more grand slam titles (breaking Nadal’s record), broke the record for most weeks ranked No 1., and cemented his status as the GOAT. Not a bad resume for Ivanisevic should he want another coaching gig. To the press, Djokovic said he doesn’t have a clear idea for who his new coach would be, or whether he’d have one at all. My money’s on Kyrgios.

WTA

Going out on Top

In January, 30-year old American Danielle Collins announced that this will be her last year on tour. Since then, she’s started what seems to be a victory lap, making the quarters of Qatar (WTA 1000), and the finals in Miami this week. With the end in sight, perhaps the Florida native is more relaxed and clear on court, allowing her best tennis to come out. For the former world No. 7 and Australian Open Finalist (2022), a win in Miami would be the biggest title of her career, but likely subject her to more interrogation by the press about her decision to retire. In a recent press conference on the topic she said, “I feel like I have had to justify my decision a lot. I feel like if I was a guy, I probably wouldn’t have to justify it that much.” Collins, who has a chronic inflammatory disease that affects her ability to get pregnant, said this decision is deeply personal and about more than tennis, and hopes people will respect that.

Trivia

Which two players on the ATP and WTA are the youngest ever to reach World No 1?

Find out at the bottom!

Shot of the Week

While the shot itself doesn’t look all that fancy, it’s the context that makes it the shot of the week. Down double match point in the third set tiebreak, young American Chris Eubanks guessed right and pulled off this forehand chip pass to keep his tournament hopes alive and send the crowd crazy. He saved the second match point with an ace, went on to win the tiebreak 9-7, and punch his ticket into the Round of 32.

More News & Media

• After playing a thrilling 3-set match in the Round of 32, Andy Murray shared that he unfortunately fully ruptured his ATFL (anterior talofibular ligament) and CFL (calcaneofibular ligament). On the last legs (literally) of his career, this is terrible news for the well-respected, 3-time Grand Slam champ. We wish him a speedy recovery, and that he gets to close out his career on his own terms.

• Players on both tours have vocalized their frustrations about how each tournament uses different balls. When players constantly have to acclimate to new conditions (time zone, weather, altitude, surface, etc.), they claim that also having to adjust to new balls week to week can lead to injuries.

• What do you think Mr. Roger Federer is up to? Maybe working with a Suisse chocolatier on a new line of truffles? Finding the right new hair gel to perfect his now bandana-less hair? Nah. He finally won a tournament that alluded him, Rome.

Thanks for reading!

DP 🤠

Answer: Carlos Alcaraz (aged 19) and Martina Hingis (aged 16)