Seasonal; Team; Individual; Extreme; Gear;

Stars will shine in New York, day or night.
Fila stars will shine, day and night, in New York City this month.

Fila unveiled its 2018 US Open apparel.

Cahill: More On-Court Coaching

Former US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova, Ashleigh Barty and Timea Babos will wear the Fila women’s heritage collection, which features shimmering stars and glamorous stripes.

Karolina Pliskova will wear the Heritage Star Dress, inspired by a similar 2003 Fila New York City showstopper once worn by Jennifer Capriati.

The Fila men’s legends collection will be worn by sponsored players Marin Cilic, John Isner, Sam Querrey, and Diego Schwartzman.

The legends collection features a smooth color combination of saturated green contrasted by gray and white, a nod to the brand's archives. Cilic, the 2016 US Open champion, will wear the t-shirt.

John Isner will wear the green, gray and white polo shirt.

The collection boasts pinhole mesh ventilation, high-performance articulated shoulder seams, side seams, draw cords and zippers in contrasting colors.

The legends collection offers two short sleeve crew styles, two polo style shirts and a long sleeve crew; each top pairs with the legends short, available in both gray and white. It's worn here by Sam Querrey.

Photo credit: Fila

Six-time US Open champion will sport black, one-shoulder dress.
Serena Williams will make a major fashion statement at the US Open this month.

The six-time US Open champion will wear a black, one-shoulder dress designed by Virgil Abloh for Nike.

Simona: Sloane Makes Me Better

Vogue Magazine posted images of Serena's US Open outfit here.

Serena's name is stiched onto the sleeve of the dress and on the customized NikeCourt Flair sneakers she'll wear in New York.

Abloh's quotation graphic, the word "logo", appears above the Nike swoosh logo on the dress.

“When I first tried on the dress, I felt very strong and feminine at the same time," Williams told Vogue Magazine. "It has all the really strong elements, from the leather to that really cool stretchy material.

"I felt so feminine in the tutu, which is probably my favorite part of it. It really embodies what I always say: that you can be strong and beautiful at the same time."

 

“QUEEN” @off____white

A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on

Aug 13, 2018 at 10:50am PDT

A limited edition of Serena's dress and jacket will be available at select Nike locations in the U.S. beginning in late August, Vogue Magazine reports. 

Photo credit: Nike

The Greek freak wants to put in the hard yards down the road. Stefanos Tsitsipas didn’t get the win on his 20th birthday and instead lost to Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6(4) in the Rogers Cup final. But the loss was not in vain because the Greek says he learned a valuable lesson from falling to Nadal on Sunday.

Tsitsipas says that the thing that stuck out most to him about the final is how big the gap between himself and Nadal is right now.

"And the patience that Rafa has is amazing. He never cracks. He will always grab you like a bulldog and always will have you–he will always make you suffer on the court."

Stefanos Tsitsipas on playing Nadal

📸@tennis_shots pic.twitter.com/1xAV9e6kLo

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) August 13, 2018

“How much gap there is between him and me in our games, and how much more I need to—I don't know,” Tsitsipas said. “I don't want to be rude, but bust my ass more on the court.”

The Greek became defeated four Top 10 players en route to his first Masters 1000 final, but in the end his takeaway was that he needs to work even harder to get where he wants to go.

Credit Tsitsipas for having the presence of mind to recognize his deficiencies and to view his defeat as a chance to further his development. Not all players would come away from a groundbreaking run to a final with such perspective, and it shows that Tsitsipas may indeed have what it takes to make good on all the potential he has shown in 2018.

What does he need to do in order to get to the next level?

“Work more hours and become stronger and more solid baseliner,” he said. “And withstand pressures, physical pressures on the court that to [Nadal] it just seems like nothing special. That's the big difference between my game and his game.”

Tsitsipas has talked often about how he has watched Federer and Nadal closely, looking for clues to their success. He demonstrated a very good read on what makes Nadal so special and shared his observations after the final.

“And the patience that Rafa has is amazing,” he said. “He never cracks. He will always grab you like a bulldog and always will have you—he will always make you suffer on the court. And it is amazing what he has built as a player. I mean, he was … normal like all of us, and he managed to become this beast, this monster that he is today.”

Tsitsipas will rise to No.15 in the ATP rankings on Monday, up 12 spots thanks to his performance in Toronto. But he knows the hardest work has yet to be done. Thanks to Nadal, he was given a first-hand glimpse of what it might take, and he was paying attention like a good student.

“I need to work much more,” Tsitsipas concluded, “and hopefully I can reach his level one day.”

The Spaniard doesn't live for practice, he lives for improvements. Does practice make perfect? From Rafael Nadal’s perspective there is no perfection, only the quest for improvement. And that’s what the Spaniard says gets him out of bed in the morning.

“I think things are not easy, never, at all even if you are very good,” 32-year-old Nadal told reporters after winning the Rogers Cup on Sunday.

"It's about always improving. So if you want to keep having the same success than you had 10 years ago, you need to add things to your game. So that's why I wake up every morning…"

— Rafael Nadal

📸@tennis_shots pic.twitter.com/CNCqBSMGGR

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) August 13, 2018

Nadal admits that he may have lost a step—okay maybe a tenth of a step—over the course of his 16-year professional career, but he says that he can make up with that by adding to his game in other ways.

It’s a challenge he has embraced emphatically throughout his career, and it explains the rapid rise of his backhand over the last few seasons, and his ability to do more with the drop shot than ever before.

He doesn’t just practice, he aspires.

“And my way to understand my career and this sport in general is if my career already is for 16 years, during this 16 years, I am sure that I lose things when comparing when I was 18 or 19 years old,” he said. “So if I lose speed sometimes, if I lose this energy that when you are younger, we need to add other things on my game.”

“So it's about always improving,” says Nadal. “So if you want to keep having the same success than you had 10 years ago, you need to add things to your game. So that's why I wake up every morning.”

Nadal says when he’s done improving, he’ll be done playing.

“And I don't understand go on court to practice,” he said. “I go on court to improve something. That's the way that I understand my career, the way that I understand the sport. … And when arrive the day that that not happens, that's going to be the day that I take a boat and I go to go fishing. That's it.”

The World No.1 wants to remain fit for the U.S. Open.
Rafael Nadal has played his last U.S. Open warmup match. The World No.1 has announced his withdrawal from this week’s Western and Southern Open at Cincinnati.

World No.1 Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from #CincyTennis citing personal reasons.

"I am also sad for those amazing fans in Cincy who always gave me great support. I am sure I’ll see them next year.”

Wishing our 2013 champion the best! pic.twitter.com/u2fYNBAyZq

— Western & Southern Open (@CincyTennis) August 13, 2018

Nadal, who claimed the Rogers Cup title on Sunday by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 7-6(4), hinted that this might be the case after the final.

“I really just finished, do pictures with all the staff here,” Nadal said when asked about his impending decision. “I need to come back to speak with my team, to speak with the people who are close to me and really make a decision about what is going on in the next week and the next couple of weeks.”

Nadal admitted that there is a lot to consider when it comes to a big decision such as this, including Spain’s upcoming Davis Cup semifinal against France in Lille on September 14-16.

“As you know, I only want to play,” he said. “I want to be everywhere. I love this sport. I don't like to miss events. But at some point if I don't stop for myself, my body stop me. So that's the experience that I have. So I have to talk with the people who are next to me and make a decision about the next week and about the schedule until the end of the season.”

Not long after, Nadal announced his withdrawal. He released the following statement:

"I am very sorry to announce that I won’t be playing in Cincinnati this year. No other reason than personally taking care of my body and trying to keep as healthy as I feel now. I am very thankful to my friend Andre Silva, Tournament Director of the Cincinnati tournament, who after speaking to him on the phone understood what I said to him and understands the situation. I am sure the tournament will be a success and I wish him and his team all the best.”

He added: "I am also sad for those amazing fans in Cincy who always gave me great support. I am sure I’ll see them next year and I am sorry I won’t be with them this year.”

Top-seeded Nadal will be replaced by a lucky loser in the draw.

The two-time champion opens with Daria Gavrilova for the right to face Petra Kvitova in round two. Two-time champion Serena Williams will take the court for the first time since suffering her most lopsided loss as a WTA pro at next week's Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. The 36-year-old American will open with Australia’s Daria Gavrilova, and if she wins she’ll take on No.8-seeded Petra Kvitova in the second round.

See the full women’s singles draw here:

Women’s singles draw at @CincyTennis

Serena Williams squares off with Daria Gavrilova in round one and the winner of that match faces Petra Kvitova in round 2. pic.twitter.com/g92R0AWUnm

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) August 11, 2018

Williams is a two-time champion at Cincinnati, last winning the title in 2015. The 23-time major champion currently owns an 11-4 record in 2018 but she has dropped her last two matches and won a total of seven games combined in them.

Williams is 2-0 lifetime against Gavrilova and has never dropped a set. The American owns a 5-1 lifetime record againt Kvitova but lost the pair's last meeting in 2015 at Madrid.

She's baaa-ack!

Hey there @serenawilliams 👋#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/eQxUQ1nxhS

— Western & Southern Open (@CincyTennis) August 11, 2018

There are several enticing first-rounders at Cincinnati. Here’s five that we’ll be watching closely:

[9] Karolina Pliskova v Agnieszka Radwanska
[WC] Victoria Azarenka v Carla Suarez Navarro
[14] Venus Williams v Maria Sakkari
Johanna Konta v Aryna Sabalenka
[10] Julia Goerges v Kristina Mladenovic

If the seeds hold, the quarterfinals shape up as follows:

[1] Halep v [7] Muguruza
[4] Kerber v [6] Garcia
[8] Kvitova v [3] Stephens
[2] Wozniacki v [5] Svitolina

Main draw play begins on Sunday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

The Serb begins his quest for a first Cincinnati title in a tricky quarter of the draw. Novak Djokovic has been drawn into Rafael Nadal’s quarter at next week’s Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati. The top-seeded Nadal is a 2013 champion at Cincinnati, while Djokovic is a five-time runner-up at Cincinnati that has yet to win the title.

See the full men’s singles draw here:

Here’s the men’s singles draw for @CincyTennis

Who were the draw Gods mean to? pic.twitter.com/vFIKKs6HW3

— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) August 10, 2018

Djokovic opens with American Steve Johnson in the first round and could face Marco Cecchinato of Italy in what would be a rematch of this year’s epic Roland Garros quarterfinal in the second.

Nadal could face Canada’s Milos Raonic after a first-round bye.

Seven-time champion Roger Federer, making his first appearance on the hardcourts this summer, will face either Peter Gojowczyk or Joao Sousa after his first round bye. Meanwhile, Federer has been hard at work in Ohio.

The Swiss boys, Roger & Seve 🇨🇭⚽😊#Federer pic.twitter.com/5ts5N7he2Q

— Suama (@suamax8) August 11, 2018

There are several enticing first-rounders at Cincinnati. Here’s six that we’ll be watching closely:

Denis Shapovalov v Frances Tiafoe
Stefanos Tsitsipas v David Goffin
Andrey Rublev v Kei Nishikori
Stan Wawrinka v Diego Schwartzman
Lucas Pouille v Andy Murray
John Isner v Sam Querrey.

If the seeds hold, the quarterfinals shape up as follows:

[1] Nadal v [5] Dimitrov
[3] Zverev v [7] Cilic
[6] Anderson v [4] Del Potro
[2] Federer v [8] Thiem

Main draw play begins on Sunday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.

The Swiss didn't get the win against Rafael Nadal but his loss in Toronto may have been a big step in his comeback.

Stan Wawrinka didn’t get the win against Rafael Nadal on Thursday night in Toronto, in fact he didn’t even take a set before he fell to the Spaniard 7-5, 7-6(4) in a thrilling night session battle, but the Swiss did make some significant strides in form in what many are calling the best match of the week at the Rogers Cup.

More: 19-Year-Old Tsitsipas Stuns Djokovic to Reach First Masters 1000 Quarterfinal

Wawrinka played Nadal close the whole way, and he really turned up his tennis after falling behind by a break in the second set.

The above passing shot was just one shining example of the caliber of shotmaking that Wawrinka was able to produce in this match, and it was enough to truly fluster Nadal at moments, but ultimately not enough to get the Stanimal a win.

Welcome back to the big stage, @stanwawrinka. We've missed you. #RogersCup pic.twitter.com/2kOpK8nSwH

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2018

Such has been the case in 2018 for Wawrinka, who falls to 3-17 lifetime against Nadal and 8-12 on the season. But if Wawrinka’s swashbuckling form against Nadal on Thursday is any indication, he could be about to turn a corner on the hardcourts. We’ve been waiting for him to emerge in a season that has seen him struggle to return to the tour after undergoing double knee surgery late in 2017, and perhaps the experience of going toe-to-toe with Nadal may be the moment where Wawrinka finally starts to believe that he can once again play with the best.

Out-STAN-ding.#RogersCup pic.twitter.com/ofe68zxFLg

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 10, 2018

Stefanos Tsitsipas says the ATP's Next Gen is fueled by the greats of the game and a healthy element of competion among themselves.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is excited about the future of his tennis, and he’s also excited about where the sport is headed. After his victory over Dominic Thiem on Wednesday at Rogers Cup, the 19-year-old Greek spoke about ATP’s Next Gen, saying that there’s quite a bit of competiton and camaraderie fueling the group, and pushing them higher in 2018.

“First of all, they're all great guys, so it's great to share a locker room with a bunch of motivated guys that are actually pretty nice and, you know, fun to be around,” Tsitsipas said. “So it's a good atmosphere in the locker room.”

Tsitsipas, who is looking to improve his current ranking of 27 and will face Novak Djokovic in round of 16 on Thursday in Toronto, says it’s unbelievable to start his career with the game’s greatest forces still in control at the top of the rankings.

“And I just think it's such an unbelievable era of tennis, one of the best, I think, in the history because you saw the legends like Roger and Rafa and, you know, Novak, Murray, all these guys still playing,” he said. “Whereas, you have guys like [Alexander] Zverev and me and [Andrey] Rublev and Frances [Tiafoe], all these young guys coming up that are so good and breaking into the top 30s and top 50s, stuff like this.”

Tsitsipas says that the strength of the field leads to exciting tennis, week-in and week-out, like at last week’s Citi Open where four players aged 21 and younger contested the semifinals at an ATP event for the first time since 1995.

An injured lion still wants to roar. @adidastennis | #heretocreate pic.twitter.com/MZ6YN3d39S

— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) August 4, 2018

“So it's unbelievable where the tennis level is at now,” he said. “Every week you'll have crazy matches, and it's a really exciting time of tennis. You know, and I feel like the young generation, we all kind of push each other because we're all so motivated. We're young. We want to play every week and do better than each other.”

It’s a healthy environment, says Tsitsipas, who fell to Zverev in straight sets last week in the semis at Washington, D.C., and it is the competition that is fueling the rise of the ATP’s generation next.

“So it's a really healthy rivalry, and I feel that's why we've all come so far in such a short period of time,” he said. “We're all just pushing each other to do better and work harder.”

The 36-year-old had a down week and wasn't afraid to share that fact with the public. Serena Williams has taken to Instagram to explain the “personal reasons” that kept her out of this week’s Rogers Cup in Montreal. The 23-time major champion says that postpartum emotions got the best of her and she fell into a funk as she tried to find the balance between her personal and professional life.

 

Last week was not easy for me. Not only was I accepting some tough personal stuff, but I just was in a funk. Mostly, I felt like I was not a good mom. I read several articles that said postpartum emotions can last up to 3 years if not dealt with. I like communication best. Talking things through with my mom, my sisters, my friends let me know that my feelings are totally normal. It’s totally normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby. We have all been there. I work a lot, I train, and I’m trying to be the best athlete I can be. However, that means although I have been with her every day of her life, I’m not around as much as I would like to be. Most of you moms deal with the same thing. Whether stay-at-home or working, finding that balance with kids is a true art. You are the true heroes. I’m here to say: if you are having a rough day or week–it’s ok–I am, too!!! There’s always tomm!

A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on

Aug 6, 2018 at 3:24pm PDT

“Last week was not easy for me,” she wrote. “Not only was I accepting some tough personal stuff, but I just was in a funk. Mostly, I felt like I was not a good mom.”

“I read several articles that said postpartum emotions can last up to 3 years if not dealt with,” she wrote. “I like communication best. Talking things through with my mom, my sisters, my friends let me know that my feelings are totally normal. It’s totally normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby.”

Since she gave birth to her daughter Olympia last September, Williams has stressed that being a role model is more important to her than ever. She has talked often about her willingness to embrace the responsibility that comes with being a superstar athlete, and she has been more open with the public about issues, particularly motherhood, but also women’s rights and equality.

“We have all been there,” Williams continued. “I work a lot, I train, and I’m trying to be the best athlete I can be. However, that means although I have been with her every day of her life, I’m not around as much as I would like to be. Most of you moms deal with the same thing. Whether stay-at-home or working, finding that balance with kids is a true art. You are the true heroes.”

Several stars took to Twitter to praise Williams and show her support on Monday. Here are a few samplings of that support.

You’re a badass lady !

— andyroddick (@andyroddick) August 6, 2018

I’ve been a fan of Serena’s for nearly 20 years, she is as brilliant an athlete as there has ever been – but to watch the honesty, strength and vulnerability she’s displayed as a working mother has been jaw-dropping. My constant respect from one working mother to another. https://t.co/JQ8DSyO2fZ

— Sally Field (@sally_field) August 7, 2018

Serena withdrew from #RogersCup citing "personal reasons".
Here's what she meant…

📺: #TCLive
Watch now→ https://t.co/tPoe44TDv0 pic.twitter.com/zcKaTdyArK

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 7, 2018