Seasonal; Team; Individual; Extreme; Gear;

Two-time champion Azarenka and 2019 finalist Kerber will not make the trip. 2012 and 2016 champion Victoria Azarenka and 2019 finalist Angelique Kerber have both withdrawn from this year’s BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

Azarenka recently took the court for the first time since last year’s US Open at Monterrey, losing to Tamara Zidansek 6-2 6-2. Kerber has been out since the Australian Open and is not quite healthy enough to play.

"My patience is being tested these days as I’m still recovering from a left leg injury," Kerber wrote on social media. "I was hoping to be ready in time for the upcoming tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, but my medical team advised me to give it a little bit more rest."

Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from #BNPPO20.

She will be replaced in the main draw by 2009 champion Vera Zvonareva. pic.twitter.com/wMFDv3IZjW

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 5, 2020

2019 finalist Angelique Kerber has withdrawn from #BNPPO20 and will replaced in the main draw by Taylor Townsend.

We will miss you this year, Angie! pic.twitter.com/17OkbVRdHk

— BNP Paribas Open (@BNPPARIBASOPEN) March 6, 2020

The 31-year-old became the first woman from her country to reach the last four at Wimbledon in 2017

Former World No. 17 and Wimbledon semifinalist Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia has announced her retirement, effective at the conclusion of this year’s Fed Cup Finals in Budapest from 14-19 April.

“I think it is a definite and irreversible decision,” she told Tenisovysvet.sk. “I had time to think about it. It will be a nice point in my career.”

Rybarikova won four career titles and was known for her ability to excel on the grass. She reached the final at Birmingham in 2009 and won the title there in 2017. But she struggled on grass at Wimbledon despite her affinity for the surface—until 2017. That year, Rybarikova went on a stunning run to the semis on her 37th career appearance at a major.

Ryarikova became the first Slovakian to reach that far at Wimbledon after beginning the 2017 campaign at 156 in the WTA rankings due to injuries to her wrist and knee.

In total she won 18 of 20 matches on grass that season.

Rybarikova, 31, will end her career with nine Top 100 year-end finishes and four Top 50 year-end finishes.

“The year 2017 was my best, but the year before I had two operations and I was already considering whether it would work and whether I would go back,” Rybarikova said. “Then, unfortunately, the injuries came again. I had a lot of them. Last year I went from injury to injury.”

John McEnroe sends a message to Boston fans.
Lifelong New York Knicks and Rangers fan John McEnroe stepped into rivals' territory—Boston's TD Garden—to launch Laver Cup 2020.

On the 40th anniversary of McEnroe reaching the No.1 singles ranking for the first time back on March 3rd, 1980, the Hall of Famer met with Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh—and sent a message to Boston fans: We need your support.

More: Kyrgios Slams Mexican Fans

Team World captain McEnroe has seen his squad fall to reigning champion Team Europe in all three prior editions of the Laver Cup. The former world No. 1 in singles and doubles is hoping to flip the script in Boston for the 2020 Laver Cup, set for September 25-27th.

"I can't wait to bring the Laver Cup event and tennis, which there hasn't been a lot of tennis in this area for quite a while, to this new beautiful stadum the old Boston Garden," McEnroe said. "I mean this has got so much history it's going to be exciting. I've watched thousands of times when there's events played here over the years and I mostly had to watch from the losing end.

"But now it would be nice to be part of a winning team here… I think there's gonna be unbelievable energy, which I think is gonna propel us hopefully and give us the extra gear we need to win this once and for all. We've been so close if we get the type of support that I hope we can get, I think that can put us over the top—at least that's my plan right now."

Photo credit: Laver Cup

Tickets for the fourth edition of the unique team competition go on sale Friday, March 6th at 10 am Eastern time via Ticketmaster.

Having watched both his Knicks and Rangers fall to Boston's teams in the past, McEnroe hopes the home side can help push Team World across the finish line for the first time in Laver Cup history.

"Boston fans are great sports fans; they back their team as well or better than any city in the country. So I hope and I believe they'll bring that type of energy to the event when we play it," McEnroe said. "I have no doubt that could be the difference. Let's face it: we all watch a lot of sporting events and that shot of the arm, that adrenaline rush, there's nothing better than that when you have crowds going crazy.

"I was at Madison Square Garden last night. We [Knicks] have one of the worst records in the NBA at the moment yet the energy was unbelievable and we actually pulled a great win against Houston. I'm hopeful that's the type of energy that we bring to this event."

McEnroe took time out to shoot some hoops with Celtics star and avid tennis player Gordon Hayward.

Photo credit: Laver Cup

Asked about Knicks super fan, director Spike Lee, getting into a tiff with Madison Square Garden staff after he was barred from using the employee entrance to enter MSG, McEnroe said the entire incident makes no sense to him.

"I don't go in through that entrance," McEnroe said. "I take every day as a positive step. Spike is one of the greatest Knick fans in the history of the New York Knickerbockers. So I was amazed to see that was even happening. I have no idea why that happened. It made no sense to me obviously and I don't think it made a lot of sense to anyone."

Photo credit: Laver Cup

Aryna Sabalenka cites mental improvements as one fo the biggest factors behind her success in Doha.

Aryna Sabalenka is once again an emerging force after winning back-to-back Premier 5 tournaments in Wuhan and Doha, and comes in at 11 in the world in Monday’s WTA rankings, just two spots shy of her career-high.

The 21-year-old credits her mental power as much as her physical power for the rise. In a “Champion’s Corner” interview with WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen, Sabalenka opened up on the improvements she has made in that area of her game of late.

To listen to the full interview, click the embedded tweet below:

Champions Corner: Sabalenka finds peace in Doha https://t.co/PKV6gUnnG1

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 29, 2020

“You have to show people that you are there not because good serve or you have this body or whatever, but that you are actually strong with your mind,” she said.

Sabalenka’s on-again off-again relationship with coach Dmitry Tursunov was on last week, with the Russian former World No.20 back by Sabalenka’s side to reignite one of tennis’ more formidable and controversial coach-player tandems.

Sabalenka tells Nguyen that Tursunov’s presence has been critical to her developing the mental tools necessary for her latest positive run of form.

“It gave me something which helped me to be stronger, to be more calm in the next matches,” she said of Tursunov.

Sabalenka says that the Russian’s voice is the one that hits home more than any other with her, and for her it is worth it to weather the relative volatility of the relationship in order to have his guidance.

Sabalenka and Tursunov hug #QTO2020 pic.twitter.com/V7CCptv2jn

— Ashish 🎾🎥 (@tennis_gifs) February 29, 2020

“I trust him like nobody else,” she said. “And it’s so many things going around. It was some bad things he did, bad things I did—it’s always like up and down with him but I trust him like nobody else. What can I do with that? Like you said, if anybody else will tell me exactly the same things which Dmitry would say I would be like ‘oh, yeah, ok, ok,’ and then if Dimitry will come and say the same things I would be like ‘Oh, wow, that’s something new and interesting I’ve never heard it before.'”

At the heart of the matter for Sabalenka is this trust, and the belief that she can depend on Tursunov to help her achieve her goals in the sport.

“I know he’s a good guy, even if he is losing his mind sometimes and doing some weird things and saying something weird, but I know that he’s still good,” she said. “Also I’m not the easiest one with whom you can work. I am also a tough person and I also can be the craziest one. … “It’s tough but I like to work with him and I like what he’s doing with my game and I like what he’s saying so.”

The legendary Navratilova praises Sharapova for her competitive fire and clay prowess.

The legendary Martina Navratilova—one of the fiercest competitors in tennis history—praised Maria Sharapova in a column she penned for WTATennis.com.

“You wouldn't have wanted her as your opponent, she wouldn't take her foot off the gas even for a moment,” Navratilova wrote of the 32-year-old Russian, who leaves the sport with five major titles and 36 WTA titles to her name.

The Russian announced her retirement last week after suffering through an injury-marred two and a half seasons that saw her plummet outside of the Top 300 in the rankings.

“Throughout her career, Sharapova marched to the beat of her own drum,” wrote Navratilova. “She wasn't in tennis to win popularity contests, whether with the public or her peers, and perhaps she wasn't always as appreciated as she could have been, but she did what she needed to win, and that worked for her.”

"I'll remember Sharapova's career for her sheer competitiveness, for her never giving anything less than her absolute best."@Martina on @MariaSharapova —> https://t.co/ntmlgKAiUP pic.twitter.com/Rzzacc9XzO

— WTA (@WTA) March 2, 2020

Navratilova points to her two Roland Garros titles and her dominance on clay from 2011 to 2015 as her crowning achievement. It certainly wasn’t the Russian's only claim to fame. Sharapova won Wimbledon as a 17-year-old and is still the youngest Ladies Singles champion at the All England Club. She also won the career Slam and is one of just six Open Era women to have achieved the feat.

More: Maria Sharapova's Legendary Career, By the Numbers

But her ability to evolve as a tour de force on the tennis court is best exemplified by the improvements she made on clay in her twenties.

“Those two titles at Roland Garros were an illustration of how Sharapova made the most of what she had, and how she adapted her game,” Navratilova wrote. “While Sharapova was hitting huge forehands and backhands, she knew that she wasn't the best all-round player so she worked at her game. She improved her drop-shot and her game at the net. Sharapova kept at it until clay became her best surface at the end – the French Open was the only major that she won twice.

Sharapova’s professionalism and her willingness to squeeze every ounce of talent out of her body are what made her great,” says the 18-time major champ.

“I'll remember Sharapova's career for her sheer competitiveness, for her never giving anything less than her absolute best,” she concluded.

Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin showcases 30 Love collection.
Top female Fila sponsored players—including World No. 1 Ash Barty, No. 3 Karolina Pliskova, Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and No. 6 Kiki Bertens—will spring into action at Indian Wells and Miami showcasing the 30 Love collection.

Berry tones and feminine finishes sweep through the Fila spring collection.

More: Clijsters Receives Indian Wells Wild Card

The 30 Love collection boasts a variety of tank options, including the cami tank, the tie up racerback tank, the sleek and slim twist back tank and the color-blocked full coverage tank, each of which are offered in varieties of the collection’s primary color palette of white, cyclamen and crimson.

Additionally, the petal cap sleeve tee in cyclamen and crimson is the perfect option for those looking for a more conservative option.

Fila's PLR collection offers acid lime details complemented by rich navy and white hues to deliver a color palette that is sure to slice through any crowd.

The PLR polo features the classic FILA F-Box along with simple vertical lines that are amped with cleverly intricate angles, while the singles polo offers a simpler, classic look of legend and legacy. The PLR crew and doubles crew highlight the same eye-catching colors in varying designs.

Each of the tops pairs perfectly with the signature striped draw cord of the PLR short, available in blueprint or white. An acid-boosted F-Box tennis tee completes the ensemble, while a UV Blocker Long Sleeve Top offers protection from the warm Indian Wells and Miami sun.

The PLR collection will be worn at Indian Wells and Miami by top Fila-sponsored tennis players John Isner, Sam Querrey and Reilly Opelka.

Photo credit: Fila

The Frenchman is riding a career-best 12-match winning streak ahead of their Dubai clash.

Gael Monfils knows he’s going to have to climb a big mountain on Friday if he wants to keep his current winning streak alive. The Frenchman earned his 12th consecutive victory on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in Dubai, but his next opponent has done even better of late, winning 16 consecutive matches since the start of 2020. And, to make matters worse, Novak Djokovic has also won 16 straight against Monfils.

Which begs the question: Does anyone beat Gael Monfils 17 times in a row?

After his straight sets victory over Richard Gasquet (Monfils has also won 24 consecutive sets) on Friday, the 33-year-old said he’d have to develop a new plan to try and sneak a victory over the World No.1.

“I’m not counting,” Monfils when said about his own career-best winning streak. “I try to be good every day. Just making sure that I’m fighting and trying to be very solid.”

When asked about facing Djokovic for the seventeenth time, Monfils seemed unafraid of what might happen on Friday in Dubai.

"I try to be good every day." @Gael_Monfils on 🔥 in February:

1⃣2⃣ straight wins
2⃣4⃣ consecutive sets won #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/r0XOC3h7kC

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 27, 2020

“I’m 16 down against Novak,” he said. “He’s World No.1. Think hasn’t lost a match this year, so he’s in great shape. I’ll just come up with a new gameplan and see how it goes tomorrow night.”

And what about that plan, what might it be?

“I have no idea right now, because the 16th time it was the wrong one so hopefully the 17th will be the good one.”

It better be. Monfils owns a 1-7 lifetime record against World No.1 players. He defeated then No.1 Rafael Nadal in the Doha quarter-finals 6-4 6-4 in 2009.

It’s not like Monfils has never made any inroads against Djokovic. They have played six deciders and two third-set breakers.

Perhaps he’ll take it to the next level on Friday, but it sure doesn’t seem likely.

Grigor Dimitrov nearly lost the plot but caught his footing in time to win on Wednesday in Acapulco

  
Grigor Dimitrov   won one the hard way on Wednesday night in Acapulco.

The 2014 Acapulco champion battled from a set down and saved a pair of match point at 4-5 in the third set before pushing past Adrian Mannarino in a dominant tiebreaker to book a 6-7(8) 6-2 7-6(2) victory and a spot in the quarterfinals alongside Stan Wawrinka.

Dimitrov was in full command of the third set, leading 4-1, when he suddenly went off the boil and dropped four consecutive games. Moments later he found himself double match point down and seemingly out against the 31-year-old World No.41.

But Dimitrov fired an ace in the first match point and saved the second when Mannarino’s backhand sailed long.

He had to struggle while serving at 5-6 but battled through to force the tiebreaker and then dominated from there.

The Bulgarian even broke out a two-handed backhand to create a sensational winner for 4-0 in the breaker.

The last time @GrigorDimitrov hit a two-handed backhand winner?

Like, never! #AMT2020 pic.twitter.com/hq32brJwKe

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 27, 2020

It wasn’t the prettiest win for the World No.22 but it could go a long way for his confidence.

Confidence won’t be great for second-seeded Alexander Zverev after he fell to American Tommy Paul on Wednesday. The German was once again plagued by double-faults as he fell to the World No.66 6-3 6-4 on Wednesday.

Paul, playing at a career-high ranking, is projected to make his Top 60 debut next week and could climb higher if he continues winning. The victory marks his first Top 10 win.

Americans were strong in Acapulco, as John Isner and Taylor Fritz also reached the quarterfinals. Isner defeated compatriot Marcos Giron in straights while Fritz toppled Ugo Humbert, who was ailing with a shoulder injury, 6-4 6-1.

Earlier in the day, Kyle Edmund stopped Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-4 and Soonwoo Kwon of South Korea reached his fourth consecutive quarterfinal with a straight-sets win over Dusan Lajovic.

The Chilean cracks the Top 20 for the first time after winning Rio.

Cristian Garin has won back-to-back titles and on Monday he made his well-deserved Top 20 debut, becoming the first Chilean to hold a Top 20 ranking since Fernando Gonzalez in 2010.

The 23-year-old Chilean has won nine straight matches after claiming titles at Cordoba and Rio.

Also rising up the rankings this week was American Reilly Opelka who jumps from 54 to 39 thanks to his title run at Delray Beach. Opelka defeated Yoshihito Nishioka in the final but the Japanese also jumped 15 spots and will make his Top 50 debut today at No.48.

The biggest riser inside the Top 100 is Italy’s Gianluca Mager, who pushes from 128 to a career high at 77. His trip to the Rio final has enabled him to surge 51 spots and make his Top 100 debut.

Other career highs inside the Top 100:

Alexander Bublik, +8 to 47.
Egor Gerasimov, +7 to 65.
Attila Balazs, +27 to 79.

The American is the first 15-year-old in the Top 50 in nearly 15 years.

Even when she doesn’t play, Coco Gauff makes magic. The 15-year-old American jumped two spots in the WTA rankings on Monday and sits at No.49 in the world today, meaning that she has become the first 15-year-old to crack the WTA’s Top 50 since August of 2005.

Congrats to Coco Gauff, who makes her Top 50 debut today (first 15-year-old in Top 50 since 2005).

📸Mark Peterson @corleve pic.twitter.com/m1L7HNSqbu

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) February 24, 2020

   
Bianca Andreescu    moved to her previous career-high ranking despite not being in action last week. The Canadian hops up to No.4 in the world.

Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, who fell to Simona Halep in Saturday’s Dubai final, also cracks a career-high ranking. The 20-year-old comes in at No.17 this week.

American Jennifer Brady jumps seven spots to reach a career-high of 45 in the rankings. The 24-year-old qualified for Dubai last week and racked up three Top 20 wins en route to the semis.