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International Tennis Hall of Fame Announces Black History Month Initiatives

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The International Tennis Hall of Fame is celebrating Black History Month with two new education initiatives that highlight the roles of Black tennis athletes in history and culture.

As part of the ITHF’s ongoing initiative to educate and spotlight Black tennis history, fans can now explore 16 new additions to the digital exhibit Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis. The ITHF is additionally partnering with the National Archives and National Archives Foundation to host a lecture with Professor Ashley Brown to discuss her book Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson.

In 2022, Gibson’s official biography “I Always Wanted To Be Somebody” was re-released by New Chapter Press and can be purchased or downloaded here: https://www.amazon.com/Althea-Gibson-Always-Wanted-Somebody/dp/1937559971/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2P6I1KGMZ7VWG&keywords=I+always+wanted+to+be+somebody&qid=1675264731&sprefix=i+always+wanted+to+be+somebody%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1

New Additions to Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis Featured Throughout February. Launched in February 2022, the digital exhibit Breaking Boundaries highlights the breakthroughs, evolution, and impact of Black tennis players and contributors globally. Fans can browse the interactive globe online at breakingboundaries.tennisfame.com to explore these individuals’ on-court achievements and lasting impacts on the sport.

In the past year, fans have submitted their suggestions for noteworthy additions to the ever-evolving exhibit. Following review by the ITHF’s Black History Committee, several fan submissions have been added along with the committee’s selections.
The 16 additions for 2023 include current stars such as American Frances Tiafoe and Kenya’s Angella Okutoyi, alongside American legends like administrator Rodney Harmon, WTA champion Renee Blount and former Netherlands Davis Cup captain Stanley Franker.

“The International Tennis Hall of Fame is excited to recognize these new additions to Breaking Boundaries,” said Katrina Adams, chair of the ITHF’s Black Tennis History Committee. “Through this exhibit, the ITHF is doing vital work in preserving these individuals’ history, and sharing their stories of inspiration with the next generation. We are grateful for the tremendous reception and many fan submissions to Breaking Boundaries in the past year.”
In collaboration with the National Archives and National Archives Foundation, the ITHF will host Professor Ashley Brown to discuss her new book Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson on Monday, February 27.

The event will be held in the International Tennis Hall of Fame museum’s USTA Wing, with tickets on sale now for $26 at tennisfame.com/serving-herself-lecture. Attendees are encouraged to participate in a reception with light food and beverage starting at 6:00 p.m., followed by a lecture and book signing. The lecture will also be streamed live by the National Archives.

In her comprehensive biography, Brown narrates the public career and private struggles of Hall of Famer Althea Gibson. From her start playing paddle tennis on the streets of Harlem as a teenager to her 11 Grand Slam titles to her professional golf career, Gibson became the most accomplished Black sportswoman of the mid-twentieth century. In her unprecedented athletic career, she was the first African-American to win titles at Wimbledon, and what is now known as the French Open and US Open.

Based on extensive archival work and oral histories, Serving Herself sets Gibson’s life and choices against the backdrop of the Great Migration, Jim Crow racism, the integration of American sports, the civil rights movement, the Cold War and second wave feminism.

Ashley Brown is currently an Assistant Professor and Allan H. Selig Chair in the History of Sport and Society at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Professor Brown’s article “Swinging for the State Department: American Women Tennis Players in Diplomatic Goodwill Tours, 1941-1959” was honored by the North American Society for Sport History in 2015 and was subsequently published in the Journal of Sport History. The Journal of African American History has also published her scholarship.
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International Tennis Hall of Fame

ATP Investigation Finds Insufficient Evidence In Alexander Zverev Abuse Allegation Case

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A major independent investigation into Alexander Zverev has found insufficient evidence to substantiate published allegations of abuse. As a result, no disciplinary action will be taken by ATP.

Commissioned by ATP in October 2021, the investigation looked into allegations of domestic abuse made by Zverev’s former girlfriend, Olya Sharypova. While the primary focus of the investigation related to alleged abuses taking place at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai in 2019, its scope also included purported misconduct in other locations, including Monaco, New York and Geneva, as referenced in public reporting.

The investigation was carried out by The Lake Forest Group (LFG), a third-party investigator, led by founder and chief executive G. Michael Verden and Jennifer Mackovjak. Both Verden and Mackovjak are licensed private investigators with more than 60 years of combined experience in the field, including in professional sports. LFG was directed to conduct the investigation in a fully independent manner, with ATP’s outside legal counsel, Smith Hulsey & Busey, serving as an intermediary. ATP assisted with access to information and witnesses as requested.

LFG conducted extensive interviews with both Sharypova and Zverev, and 24 other individuals including family and friends, tennis players, and other parties involved with the ATP Tour. The investigation reviewed submissions by both Sharypova and Zverev, including text messages, audio files, and photos. This included materials voluntarily extracted from Zverev’s electronic devices via a third-party forensic expert. LFG also reviewed operational records related to the Shanghai tournament, documents submitted by third-party witnesses, and public records including social media posts and press reports.

Following an exhaustive 15-month process, LFG submitted its full report to ATP. Based on a lack of reliable evidence and eyewitness reports, in addition to conflicting statements by Sharypova, Zverev and other interviewees, the investigation was unable to substantiate the allegations of abuse, or determine that violations of ATP’s On-Site Offenses or Player Major Offenses rules took place.

As a result, no disciplinary action against Zverev will be taken by ATP. This determination may however be reevaluated should new evidence come to light, or should any legal proceedings reveal violations of ATP rules. Zverev has consistently denied all allegations and supported ATP’s investigation.

Massimo Calvelli, ATP CEO: “The seriousness and complexity of these allegations required an extremely thorough investigative process and considerable resources. It also required us to turn to specialist investigators, which was new ground for ATP. We ultimately believe the exhaustive process was necessary to reach an informed judgement. It has also shown the need for us to be more responsive on safeguarding matters. It is the reason we’ve taken steps in that direction, with a lot of important work still ahead.”

In October 2021, ATP commissioned an Independent Safeguarding Report, to ensure all adults and minors involved in men’s professional tennis are safe and protected from abuse. A hiring process has recently been completed to appoint a dedicated head of Safeguarding, who will oversee implementation of the report’s recommendations.

Alexander Zverev

Novak Djokovic 2023 Aussie Win “A Victory For Dignity, Individuality, Freedom, Non-Conformity”

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Novak Djokovic’s win at the 2023 Australian Open was not only seen as significant in the context of the history of tennis, but also symbolic for bigger global reasons.

Djokovic’s 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) final-round win over Stefanos Tsitsipas earned him a record-extending 10th men’s singles title at the Australian Open and men’s record-tying 22nd major singles title, equaling him with Rafael Nadal. The title also came one year after being deported from Australia, and not being able to play at Melbourne Park, due to his stance against taking a COVID-19 vaccine. This also prevented him from playing at the 2022 U.S. Open. His 2023 Australian Open victory, to some, symbolizes a victory over freedom, non-conformity and individuality. On the No. 1 rated morning cable television show “Fox and Friends” in the United States, hosts Will Cain, Pete Hegseth and Rachel Campos-Duffy discussed why they think the Djokovic victory has deeper meaning.

“I think this is more than just a victory for Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open,” said Cain, a former sports personality on ESPN. “We know what we now missed one year ago. We missed watching one of the greatest tennis players of all time win yet another major. I can’t guarantee that the winner of the 2022 Australian Open would’ve been Novak Djokovic, but you got a pretty good indication here when you see him win in 2023. But it’s more than that….We have missed not just great tennis, we’ve missed a year of education for our children. We’ve lost jobs, we’ve lost our economy, all under the dictatorial tyranny of an absolutely arbitrary mandate. But this is not just a victory for him. It’s a victory for dignity, individuality, freedom, non-compliance, non-conformity, not giving into public pressure. Yeah, it’s a victory for Novak Djokovic, but it’s a victory for individuality.”

Added Campos-Duffy, a former MTV personality, of Djokovic, “This guy has principle. He stood by his ground. He came back, he won. He was willing to risk that in order to do what’s right. There are millions of people in our military, teachers, nurses, doctors, everyday Americans, including myself, who just said, “I’m going to do what’s right for me. I believe in health liberty. I believe in autonomy over my own body.”

Hegseth pointed out many members of the American military, teachers, doctors, police officers, nurses and many others who were forced out of their jobs and livelihood and dreams for their refusal to adhere to the vaccine mandate. Said Hegseth, “Anyone who faced a mandate, when he’s fist pumping and overcoming it that way, he represents what maybe they didn’t get a chance to.”

After this commentary, Fox News then cued to an exchange between Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy and President Joe Biden’s press secretary Karine Jean Pierre from last August leading into the U.S. Open, when Djokovic was prevented from entering the country based on his vaccine status, while hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants are freely crossing the U.S. border from Mexico without having their vaccine status checked. As excerpted below.

Peter Doocy:

How come migrants are allowed to come into this country unvaccinated, but world class tennis players are not?

Karine Jean Pierre:

You’re talking about which world class tennis player?

Peter Doocy:

Novak Djokovic. How are they two different things? Somebody unvaccinated comes over on a plane, you say that’s not okay. Somebody walks into Texas or Arizona unvaccinated, they’re allowed to stay? Why?

Karine Jean Pierre:

But that’s not how it works. We actually … No.

Peter Doocy:

We know that that’s not what you guys want to happen, but that is what is happening.

Karine Jean Pierre:

It’s not like somebody walks over and … That’s not how-

Peter Doocy:

That’s exactly what’s happening.

Novak Djokovic

Mardy Fish Wins Title at Lake Nona, Florida….In Pro Celebrity Golf! (Again!)

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by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

“It was fun to watch him play so well this week. It was very impressive,” says NBC LPGA golf analyst Morgan Pressel, the niece of former top 10 tennis star Aaron Krickstein.

Added NBC and Golf Channel commentator Steve Sands, “And we know how important these things are to guys like Mardy. It was an amazing week and an amazing feeling for Fish. Good for him.”

In addition to winning the Orlando celebrity event for a fourth time (earning a first-prize paycheck of $100,000), Fish has also won the two other major celebrity golf events in Dallas, Texas last April and at the most famous celebrity golf event, the American Century Championships at Lake Tahoe in 2000. Jack Nicklaus also called Fish “the best non-professional golfer” he’s ever seen, as you can read here: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/16360

Fish entered the Lake Nona event with limited practice, fine-tuning his eight-iron shot will playing the par 3 17th hole at The Windsor Club in his hometown of Vero Beach, Florida with each foursome who paid to play in his Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Golf Fundraiser.

“I hadn’t practiced all that much,” said Fish to NBC Sports in his post-victory interview. “Maybe there’s something to that, coming into this week. So going into the next one in Dallas in April, maybe I’m not hitting very many balls or anything like that, and see if I can get putting lesson from someone.”

Said Pressel of Fish, “He has played such incredible golf this week. He said coming into this week, it was the least prepared he had ever been for a competition like this, and yet it the best he has ever played.”

On what he will take away from the experience here this week playing alongside the top LPGA pros, Fish said. “That they’re a lot better than I am and better than almost everybody out there that’s watching, that’s for sure. Just made some really cool friendships and stuff and some gals that I get to watch compete and everything. So it’s a blast to be in the same group and watch them. I got to play with Annika (Sorenstam) yesterday, which was super cool. I’ve been looking forward to that for a long time, and trying to get with her and everything. So yes, it’s been a really fun week.”

Mardy Fish

The Top Three Tennis Players In The Universe

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How about we start with the men. It’s somewhat difficult to decrease this rundown to the main 3 tennis players ever, so a few inconceivable players have tragically missed the cut.

  • Rafael Nadal

Essentially, you can’t stop this man!

We go this way and ask ourselves who is the best tennis player ever, however you can’t look past Rafael Nadal.

To play him on earth is quite possibly the hardest test any game has at any point introduced, and we’re essentially special to have watched him for such a long time.

Each time you discount him, he returns considerably more grounded, and he completely has the right to have brought home the most Huge homerun championships of any male player.

One of various left-handers on the rundown, Nadal is in the film industry.

While he may be most popular for earth, he has been superbly versatile, and like Federer and Djokovic has won the vocation Huge homerun winning every one of the four majors at some point.

Nadal’s mind blowing shot-production is something we will all miss when he in the long run resigns, and it acquires him the main spot on our rundown of the best tennis players ever.

  • Roger Federer

In the past Roger Federer was miles in front of the opposition.

We felt quite wary that we were watching the best tennis player ever.

At the mostbet aviator we love Roger Federer, and he’s clutched the main spot in this rundown for quite a while. In any case, in 2022, we at last arrived where we needed to acknowledge that his accomplishments had been outperformed.

Try not to misunderstand us!

This person is and was totally extraordinary.

You wouldn’t really expect to watch a more lovely tennis player. The things he could do on the tennis court were practically unique, and he had the outcomes to back them up.

Seemingly, we would agree that that the Fed discarded some Huge homerun titles that were effectively inside his scope. He could well have been well ahead in this rundown assuming he was somewhat more merciless, however that is the manner in which it goes.

All in all, for what reason does he land at number 2 in our rundown of the best tennis players ever, as opposed to number 3 behind Djokovic?

  • Novak Djokovic

With regards to the discussion over who is the best tennis player ever, Novak Djokovic isn’t generally a prevalent sentiment.

Maybe this is on the grounds that Roger and Rafa appear to be so all around adored that Djokovic can some of the time be viewed as the other person.

Notwithstanding, Djokovic’s details are absolutely mind blowing. As I would like to think, in the event that you put a prime Djokovic facing prime any other person on this rundown he succeeds no less than 6 out of multiple times.

Whether you imagine that makes him the best tennis player ever is for you to choose, yet differing about his strike being truly outstanding ever is hard.

At the point when you toss everything in however, we’ve gone with Nadal, regardless of whether Djokovic could wind up with the most Huge home runs.

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal

USTA Foundation Raises $12 Million In 2022

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The USTA Foundation, the charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association Incorporated (USTA), raised $12 million in 2022, the second year of the Foundation’s “Rally for the Future” campaign. USTA Foundation President Kathleen Wu also announced that the campaign goal for Rally to the Future would be raised to a three-year total of $30 million by the end of 2023. After two years of the three-year campaign, Rally for the Future has exceeded its original $20 million goal, with more than $22 million raised since 2021.

“We are beyond excited to have met our original goal so soon and I’m optimistic that this new goal will be met, and possibly exceeded, by the end of 2023,” said Wu. “I’m humbled and grateful that the tennis community has stepped up with such enthusiasm and passion to help us change lives through tennis and education.”

More than $7 million of those donations have been utilized to provide support, services and funding for National Tennis & Learning (NJTL) chapters, which support under-resourced youth through free or low-cost tennis and education programs. Additional funds will continue to be utilized for ongoing programming including NJTL chapters, grants and scholarships. The USTA Foundation funded more than $435,000 in scholarships for 46 student leaders in 2022.

In 2022, the USTA Foundation launched its improved annual NJTL enrollment two months ahead of its historical timeline. The updated process will categorize chapters based on a set of criteria and is crucial for measuring performance outcomes as well as increasing the number of programs above 300. The USTA Foundation has impacted over 125,000 youth across the country in 2022, and will grow in 2023 through this improved enrollment process.

When it came to fundraising in 2022, $3 million of the year’s total was raised during the USTA Foundation Gala on Opening Night of the 2022 US Open, honoring Kevin Martinez and ESPN. The USTA Foundation Gala’s sponsors included ESPN, Jersey Mike’s, Cadillac, Chase, Rolex, Deloitte, and the USTA.

The USTA Foundation also received a $4 million donation from sponsor Jersey Mike’s through its fundraising campaign, with 20% of its nationwide sales from one weekend in September benefiting the USTA Foundation. USTA Foundation Chairperson Chris Evert was featured in the Jersey Mike’s commercials that touted their campaign.

The Rally for the Future fundraising campaign continues towards its $30 million target by 2023 to support planning and building the future strength of NJTL chapters.

“The impact that the USTA Foundation has made this year in local communities is incredible thanks to our sponsors, donors, Board Members, and the entire NJTL Network,” said Dan Faber, USTA Foundation Chief Executive. “The lasting influence of the NJTL programs is visible at every level, from local communities to collegiate programs and even on the pro tours.”

The USTA Foundation had many highlights in 2022 through these key programs, scholarships and collaborations, including:

  • Lulu’s Place— Anticipated to break ground in 2023, Lulu’s Place will be an extraordinary nonprofit youth center in Los Angeles. The USTA Foundation is proud to be a founding supporter of Lulu’s Place, which aspires to be a game-changer for L.A. youth, especially those from disadvantaged households, by offering students access to top-quality sports facilities, as well as athletic and academic programming, for little or no cost. The project is rooted in the belief that all children have the potential to achieve greatness when given the education, resources and support they need to thrive.
  • 2022 College Scholarships: Each year, the USTA Foundation awards college scholarships to deserving high school seniors who show excellence both on and off the court. In 2022, the USTA Foundation granted over $435,000 in scholarships to 46 students from the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network of chapters to help them realize their dreams of attending college. Eleven of these scholarships were awarded to Excellence Program participants.
  • USTA Foundation Impact Conference: This inaugural conference brought together 180 NJTL chapter leaders, industry subject matter experts and renowned speakers focused on capacity-building initiatives and how best to increase program outcomes. In addition, NJTL leaders nationwide collaborated by sharing best practices and innovative program examples.
  • USTA Foundation Excellence Program: This program features NJTL youth who are chosen based on their elite level of tennis ability, educational outcomes, and commitment to the pathway to becoming student-athletes at the collegiate and professional levels. In 2022, over $385,000 in team grants supported programming in 19 markets and an additional $225,000 supported individual players. The program participants continue to achieve new milestones. Clervie Ngounoue achieved a career-high ITF World Junior Ranking of No.10 and won her first Grade 1 ITF Junior World Tournament. Clervie was also a member of this year’s Junior Billie Jean King Cup team, clinching the winning match for the team. Jelani Sarr reached the Top 100 in the ITF Junior Rankings with a career-high of No. 88, and was a participant in the main draw of the US Open Junior Championships and the Wimbledon Junior Championships. Jelani has won multiple ITF junior titles this year including the J3 in Coral Gables and the J3 in San Jose. Jelani is currently committed to playing varsity tennis for the University of South Carolina. The USTA Foundation funded six national activations for over 250 of these student-athletes, aged 10 to 18, with events being held in cities including San Diego, Orlando, Fla., Washington, D.C., College Park, Md., and New York.
  • USTA Foundation Social Media Channels: the USTA Foundation made its mark on Instagram (@ustafoundation) and returned to Facebook in 2022, connecting with NJTL chapters, players, celebrities and other USTA Foundation supporters online to share the Foundation’s story.

To learn more about the USTA Foundation, please visit ustafoundation.com

USTA Foundation

Meet Novak Djokovic… And Have A Digital NFT To Remember It Forever At The World Tennis League In Dubai

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Tennis fans will have the opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind signed memorabilia, experience unprecedented event access and meet and greets with some of the biggest stars in tennis, including Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek, and have it all documented and preserved as a NFT via the Akshaya marketplace at the new World Tennis League this week in Dubai.

Akshaya, the world’s first unified NFT and Metaverse “Phygital” (physical and digital) marketplace, has partnered with the World Tennis League to introduce its “SportsVerse” where tennis fans will be able to purchase official World Tennis League (WTL) team jersey’s signed by team members along with a 3D digital NFT that is authenticated and certified and stored in blockchain. Through an experiential NFT for sale, fans will be able to have an opportunity to have meet and greets behind-the-scenes in the WTL team environment that includes photos, videos and autographs that is captured and saved as a 3D digital NFT.

All purchasing opportunities can be found at www.akshaya.io

“This is an exciting and very unique opportunity to take advantage of our physical, experiential and digital experiences offerings at the historic and inaugural World Tennis League in Dubai,” said Ganesh Raju, CEO of Akshaya. “Having an exclusive behind-the-scenes in-person meeting with some of the greatest tennis stars of all time is an unforgettable experience that will be forever preserved as an NFT. For those not in Dubai, having a physical and digital autographed collectible is your way to be a part of this historic World Tennis League event.”

The World Tennis League (WTL) is a first-year mixed-gender team event that will be played December 19-24 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. The event features four teams – Falcons, Eagles, Kites and Hawks – featuring 18 of the best ATP and WTA Tour players, including Djokovic and Swiatek, as well other top stars Nick Kyrgios, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Caroline Garcia, Elena Rybakina, Alexander Zverev, Paula Badosa among others.

Each match features men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles two-set matches with a decisive match tiebreaker in a best-of-three series. The World Tennis League will not only showcase many of the best men and women players in the world, but will also feature some of the top music entertainers with post-match concerts featuring top global artists including Dutch DJ superstars, Tiësto and Armin Van Buuren.

Each team is as follows:

Eagles: Nick Kyrgios, Caroline Garcia, Rohan Bopanna, Bianca Andreescu, Andres Seppi

Falcons: Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, Grigor Dimitrov, Paula Badosa

Hawks: Alexander Zverev, Elena Rybakina, Dominic Thiem, Anett Kontaveit

Kites: Felix Auger-Aliassime, Iga Swiatek, Holger Rune, Sania Mirza, Genie Bouchard

For more information on the World Tennis League, go to www.WorldTennisLeague.com

NFT, Metaverse and Blockchain Web3 Technologies have shaken up the industry by providing a fantastic avenue for content creators, artists, sports personalities and influencers through sales and royalties. In the last year, the NFT market size grew to be $41 billion and is estimated to grow to $80 billion by next year with the Metaverse to be over $1 trillion in the next two years.

About Akshaya.io:  
Akshaya.io is India’s first-ever platform that brings Metaverse, NFT, and Digital Twin together to enable users claim ownership of physical and digital assets with certified proof of authenticity. From those interested in dealing with unique collectibles to rare artifacts, Akshaya.io will be a healthy community of highly astute customers. Since its inception, Akshaya.io has created excitement among companies trading in jewelry, boutique furniture, artifacts, sports, entertainment, and other sectors, and is all set to sign many prominent brands, enterprises, and a few celebrities as partners. Akshaya.io will be the first ever platform to provide the best experience of physical and experiential shopping in the virtual world. This is the only platform which will enable customers to experience and own both digital and physical variants of any and every asset. Akshaya.io has to date invested USD 10 million, through internal accruals from founder and seed investors, to build a robust technology platform that is all set to provide a unique experience to its partners and customers. The money invested has gone in to develop the backend software and to strengthen Network across India. Currently, Akshaya.io has physical offices across 45 cities in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and has developed strong connect with prospective partners. Partners will create or add their NFTs to Akshaya.io platform to be sold or traded.

Novak Djokovic World Tennis League track suit you can get personally autographed and as a NFT and have him personally give it to you in Dubai

The Most Famous Tennis Players From Ohio

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When we think of famous tennis players from Ohio, a few names come to mind. These athletes have each made their mark on the sport in different ways, and their accomplishments are truly impressive. Here are some of the most famous tennis players from Ohio.

Lauren Davis

Lauren Davis is an impressive and accomplished professional tennis player. Hailing from Ohio, Davis earned her first WTA title in 2014 when she won the ASB Classic. She has since gone on to play an impressive career and is considered one of the top female tennis players in the world. Her skill and technical ability have earned her numerous accolades and a spot as one of her generation’s most promising tennis stars.

According to FanDuel sportsbook Ohio, her most significant accomplishments include reaching the third round at Grand Slam tournaments, with her best major showing coming at Wimbledon in 2018, where she made it to the fourth round. A hardworking, talented athlete, Lauren Davis continues to showcase her outstanding dedication and passion for a sport that has taken her worldwide and earned her countless successes.

Tony Trabert

Tony Trabert is a former World No.1 tennis player who had an incredibly successful career between 1950 and 1970. Despite his retirement over 50 years ago, he continues to be remembered today for his immense achievements. Trabert was renowned for his versatility as a tennis player while often competing in both singles and doubles tournaments.

He excelled in the championship game at Forrest Hills and won the title at the U.S. Clay Court Championships multiple times before winning five grand slam titles altogether. In addition to being a successful tennis player, Trabert also provided commentary on television networks such as CBS Sports, covering various major sporting events, including both professional and amateur tournaments, as an analyst – cementing his place as one of the most esteemed names in the history of professional tennis.

J.J. Wolf

J.J. Wolf has established himself as a top-tier tennis player in the past few years, becoming a force to be reckoned with on the professional tour. He is known to be an aggressive player, unafraid to take risks and push himself to the limits on the court. His skills have earned him many recent accolades, including being ranked as one of the top 10 players in singles in both 2021 and 2022. A true role model for aspiring players, J.J. is sure to continue to reach new heights in his career due to his dedication and hard work.

Barry MacKay

Barry Mackay was an American professional tennis player from the 1950s to 1970s. He was most famous for his singles wins at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, where he was runner-up twice. Mackay also excelled in doubles and won five Grand Slam doubles titles in the process. He tasted victory a total of seven times in men’s doubles and three times in mixed doubles.

On top of that, his prominent place on Davis Cup teams helped him win nine pairs of national titles overall. The success of Mackay earned him two invitations to join the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1976, showcasing the magnitude of his achievements while playing competitively.

Francesca Di Lorenzo

Francesca Di Lorenzo is an up-and-coming tennis player who is making waves in the professional tennis world. She made a name for herself at Ohio State University, where she won the Big Ten Player of the Year award twice and was named ITA All-American. Her junior career saw her winning Oracle/ITA National Summer Championship and reaching the semifinals at the Hard Court U18 Nationals and Grass Court U18 Invitationals. At the professional level, she reached two ITF finals in 2019 before turning pro in early 2020.

Her best results were qualifying for WTA Stuttgart Open, Cincinnati Open, and U.S. Open last year. In 2021, she notched her first WTA title after winning Acapulco International with great composure and skill. Undoubtedly, Francesca Di Lorenzo has established herself as one of the most promising young players on the circuit today and will be sure to make more top-level results come her way soon.

Conclusion

From the legendary Tony Trabert to the up-and-coming Francesca Di Lorenzo, it is evident that professional tennis has been blessed with many remarkable players over the years. Each of these athletes has demonstrated an incredible level of skill, passion, and dedication to their craft – inspiring generations of aspiring players who hope to achieve similar success in their own careers. While the paths of these players may differ, their passion for the sport binds them together, making them true icons in the world of tennis.

Kim Clijsters Beats Leylah Fernandez At Champions Series Mixed Team Event In Orlando

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Leylah Fernandez and Jack Sock defeated Kim Clijsters and Sam Querrey 7-6(3) in the decisive mixed doubles match to clinch a 2-1 team victory and win the Bea for Kids Champions Challenge at The Heathrow Country Club in Orlando, Florida.

Fernandez, the world No. 40 and the 2021 U.S. Open women’s singles runner-up, overcame a 7-5 upset loss to Clijsters in the singles to re-bound and win her second mixed team title on the Champions Series circuit this year. In September, Fernandez paired with Bob Bryan to win the title at The Greenbrier in West Virginia in September.

Clijsters, the 39-year-old former world No. 1 and five years removed from her induction in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, opened the day’s play with her win over Fernandez, 19 years her junior. After Sock defeated former Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey 6-3 to tie the team score at 1-1, Fernandez returned to the court with Sock to beat Clijsters and Querrey 7-6 (3) to clinch the team victory.

“I’m just super happy to be sharing the court with Jack,” said Fernandez. “It’s always amazing to be beside him, and it’s always fun. He’s always funny. He always makes me laugh. So I think I just enjoyed myself playing with him, and I’m glad I was able to share the court also with Kim, who is legend in the game, and Sam. They’re amazing people and it was a great day overall.”

After playing with Clijsters during World TeamTennis matches over the last few years, Sock was confionted first-hand at the competitiveness of Clijsters, who event pegged the U.S. Davis Cupper with a hard volley at one point in the match.

“She’s like my second mom after we played World TeamTennis together, and so I thought we were like family, but clearly not,” joked Sock of Clijsters. “I have a welt right here on my leg. That’s going to feel good in the morning. But she is amazing and a legend of the game. It’s always fun to be around her.”

With the victory, Fernandez and Sock split the first prize of $50,000 while Querrey and Clijsters split the runner-up payout of 25,000.

For more information on Champions Series Tennis, go to www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

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Kim Clijsters

Novak Djokovic Continues To Make Tennis History With ATP Finals Win In Turin

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Novak Djokovic is continuing to re-write the tennis history books.

The Serbian sensation won a record-equaling sixth ATP Finals title in Turin, Italy by beating Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-3 to equal Roger Federer’s record of six titles at the year-end championships.

To boot, Djokovic, at age 35, became the oldest ever winner of the event and pocketed the largest pay day in the history of tennis – $4,740,300, which is $300,000 more than Ash Barty’s payday for winning the WTA Tour finals three years ago.

Djokovic, who had lost his two previous finals at the event, won the tournament for the first time in seven years.

“Seven years has been a long time,” Djokovic said. “At the same time, the fact that I waited seven years makes this victory even sweeter and even bigger. A lot of nerves … I missed a couple of forehands in the last game when I was serving for it. I had nerves, but I am really grateful to be able to serve the match out. I had a big ace to close out.”

It was Ruud’s fourth defeat in a big championship match this year after also losing finals at Miami, Roland Garros and the US Open. Ruud has never won a set against Djokovic in four meetings.

“In the end it’s been disappointing to end up losing these big finals,” Ruud said. “Overall, if you gave me an offer to end the year at No. 3, play the finals that I’ve played, at the 1st of January this year I would probably sign the contract right away. No doubt about it.

“It gives me motivation and a hunger to maybe next time — if I ever get to another final like this — I hope I can learn from what I have done this year and not been able to do and see how it goes.”

Djokovic has ended the year with an 18-1 record after winning trophies in Tel Aviv and Astana before reaching the Paris Masters final. His five titles this season also include wins at Wimbledon and in Rome.

Tennis Hall of Famer Steve Flink rated the ’12 Australian Open final between Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as No. 7 match ever in his book “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” available for sale here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Greatest-Tennis-Matches-Time/dp/0942257936/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358104976&sr=8-2&keywords=Steve+Flink

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic