Tennis Tips, Tricks And Gear
Watch: Naomi Osaka Paints the Corner in Dodger Blue
The World No.2 mingled with Japanese baseball stars before throwing out the first ball at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Naomi Osaka took part in Japan night festivities at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night in Los Angelies, and the World No.2 acquitted herself nicely when it was time to throw out the ceremonial pitch before tonight’s Dodger-Angels game at Chavez Ravine.
Osaka met with Japanese MLB stars Shohei Ohtani and Kenta Maeda before the game and it was Maeda who crouched behind the plate to receive her pitch.
True to form, Osaka delivered an ace. Or should we say strike?
“It was very nerve-wracking, I’m not gonna lie,” Osaka said after delivering her pitch. “Honestly I’ve never really thrown a baseball … I was just really hoping that I wasn’t going to end up on Sportcenter for like Top 10 worst fails.”
Watch: Tsitsipas Goes Unplugged in Corfu, Greece
The 20-year-old has an ease with the camera and he shines in his recent travel vlog.
Stefanos Tsitsipas made the most of a short Wimbledon by trekking back to his homeland and spending some quality time unplugged from the tour.
The World No.6 has had a fantastic year, reaching his first major semi-final and claiming two titles, but he has played 49 matches already and it makes complete sense that he would want—and need—some downtime to “unplug.”
In Tsitsipas’ latest Travel Vlog, aptly title “Unplug” the 20-year-old has some adventures in Corfu with his younger brother Petros. The two pal around, climing to the highest point on the island and then take a boat ride with some friends.
All the while Tsitsipas charms with his easy smile and his rare and unique ability to make the viewer comfortable and at ease, almost as if we are on the trip right there with the World No.6.
Not only is Tsitsipas a great host, he’s also a great editor, his videos are slickly produced, and no expense is spared when it comes to getting the right shot all the way down to the perfect light and camera angle. There’s also great production, plenty of killer drone footage, a running soundtrack and, of course, plenty of moments where the viewer gets to feel like he is a VIP in the Tsitsipas circle.
There are a lot of players dreaming up ways to engage with fans and stay relevant in today’s age of social media, and some can feel forced or cloying. But Tsitsipas, one feels, is not just going through the motions. He makes his travel Vlogs just like he plays his tennis, giving every ounce of his energy in the quest for perfection.
The result is just over ten minutes of pure bliss, and I’m sure his fans agree.
This writer has just completed watching the video and I can’t help feeling like a little bit of that lovely Greek sunlight has been dappled on my shoulders. Maybe we are stuck at our desks, working away this summer, but at least we have Tsitsipas bringing vacation to our desktops…
John Isner Signs with DEFY and Becomes First Tennis Player to Ink CBD Deal
The Georgia grad has signed with a company co-founded by Ex-NFL star Terrell Davis. John Isner has inked professional tennis’ first CBD sponsorship. The World No.14 and owner of 15 ATP titles announced his deal with Defy, makers of a performance drink infused with high quality extract, on Tuesday.
Athletes like @johnrisner are defying the odds every day! As a DEFY partner, Isner uses our drink to help with performance & recovery– it's clearly paying off, with his #14 world ranking!!
Learn more about us & our #DEFYxIsner partnership: https://t.co/2mUYRuTudq#DEFYTheEveryday pic.twitter.com/0dsyvUkVom— DEFY (@DEFY) July 23, 2019
Defy is co-founded by former NFL star and Georgia alumn Terrell Davis.
Isner is also a Georgia grad.
"I play a sport where taking a single point off can be the difference between winning and losing a match and DEFY is a product specifically intended to put me in a position to perform on every single point,” explained Isner. “It’s been great getting to know DEFY as a company and I look forward to working with them to help people achieve improved performance through CBD."
Beau Wehrle, DEFY co-founder and CEO added in a statement: “DEFY is leading the way in CBD for professional sports. We know its benefits, impact on recovery and the direct relation to improved performance. It’s exciting to see pro tennis take the next important step for improving the lives of athletes everywhere.”
Venus TV Debuts, and We Get to Know a Legend Better
Venus Williams displays an unguarded quality in her new YouTube videos.
You’ve heard of Venus Williams, the player. How about Venus TV?
The American legend and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion debuted her new YouTube channel in early July; since then Williams has released a second episode, with plans to do another in a week.
It’s a particularly entertaining watch, we must say. Williams tends to play hard to get in press conferences, but on her YouTube channel she grants access as the conductor of a wonderful romp through her mind with an emphasis on her current career.
At 39, Williams is still holding down a ranking of 53 in the world, and she chronicles her first-round loss to Cori Gauff (without mentioning Gauff) in the second episode, entitled “Not the Triumph but the Fight.”
There are quotes, anecdotes and Williams is natural in tone and speaks warmly. You feel like you’re her friend or—even better—her little sister.
In the first episode, “Wilmington to Wimbledon,” Williams gives viewers an intro to her formative years, her family and her way of thinking.
“You can’t become a noodle,” says Williams in the episode. “Noodles get eaten.”
Later in the show Williams wraps it up with a message for the doubters who have been calling for her retirement for years. “If you earn your way into the draw, guess what? You have an option to play if you so choose. I have so chosen to play, so I shall choose to play as long as I like,” she jokes before her mic drop.
Venus is about as engaged and candid as I’ve seen her in these videos. This is not the jaded Venus of 7 trillion press conferences. This is a Venus that is playful with the camera, and confidently relaxed. Having taken control of the message by filming the video for her very own station, Williams no longer has to worry about her words being taken out of context by some over zealous reporter.
Perhaps this is why Williams has taken her camera presence to the next level (our opinion, see for yourself). Always a photogenic athlete and a charismatic person, Williams has found a medium from which she can effectively offer her unguarded essence (and a few boxes full of EleVen gear) to the world.
As a person, as a player and as a brand, Williams has always had a knack for inspiring. Here she is taking it to another level. Venus adds TV to her growing empire, and in the process we get to know her better.
That’s a win-win if there ever was one.
Naomi Osaka, Allure’s August Covergirl
The World No.2 graces the cover of another beauty magazine. Naomi Osaka graces the cover of the August issue of Allure, where she’s profiled by Brennan Kilbane in a piece entitled "Naomi Osaka Wants to Win More than Anyone Else." In it Osaka dishes on her Japanese passport, beauty tips and divulges parts of her life story.
"My parents weren't exactly the richest, so what am I going to do?" shetold Allure. "I'm not really the smartest. I've been playing tennis my whole life, you know? So there's nothing I can imagine myself doing. It's either I have to be the best or I'm going to be homeless."
Osaka was photographed by Wai Lin Tse for the piece. Have a look at some of the snaps below.
"There's a certain point where talent isn't useful anymore…"@Naomi_Osaka_ is on the cover of @Allure_magazine !
—> https://t.co/STMZ125nwW#大坂なおみ pic.twitter.com/vNX0fIXRt9
— WTA (@WTA) July 17, 2019
US Open Prize Money Hits Record $57 Million
The US Open keeps raising the bar when it comes to its prize money purse.
The USTA announced that total player prize money for 2019 US Open will surpass $57 million for the first time, maintaining the US Open as the richest purse in tennis history.
In addition to the prize money provided to the players by the US Open, the USTA has agreed to make a payment of $1,000,000 ($500,000 per tour) to support the ATP and WTA Tour player programs including pension.
The new record total represents an 8% increase over 2018 total compensation.
According to the tournament, main draw prize money for the first round of singles has increased by 47% over the last four years, and in that same time the second round has increased by 46.
Both the men’s and women’s singles champions will earn $3.85 million, and the men’s and women’s doubles champion teams will earn $740,000, both payouts the highest in US Open history. The US Open Qualifying Tournament, which this year will see a near 20% increase in total prize money, and a doubling of prize money over the past four years, will offer more than $3.5 million in prize money for the first time.
Round-by-round individual prize money for the US Open is as follows:
This year's U.S. Open singles and doubles prize money… pic.twitter.com/0oiHoJd3VC
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) July 18, 2019
“The US Open prides itself on offering the best tennis players in the world, the richest total prize money in our sport,” said Patrick Galbraith, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “We strive to be innovative, and feel that our new contribution of $500,000 to the ATP’s player programs including its pension and the WTA Tour’s transition programs for players will go a long way toward the long-term financial well-being of all of our sport’s athletes.”
The Main Draw of the US Open begins on Monday, August 26, with qualifying beginning the week prior.
Wimbledon Day 13 Men’s Final Final Schedule
The final day of Wimbledon features a blockbuster final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, plus women's doubles, mixed doubles and Boys Singles finals…. THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON 2019
INTENDED ORDER OF PLAY FOR DAY 12 SATURDAY 13 JULY
CENTRE COURT – 2:00PM
1. Novak Djokovic v Roger Federer
2. Su-Wei Hsieh / Barbora Strycova v Gabriela Dabrowski / Yifan Xu
NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
1. Shintaro Mochizuki v Carlos Gimeno Valero
2. Robert Lindstedt / Jelena Ostapenko v Ivan Dodig / Latisha Chan
3. Marion Bartoli / Daniela Hantuchova v Cara Black / Martina Navratilova
NO.3 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Diede De Groot / Aniek Van Koot v Marjolein Buis / Giulia Capocci
2. Shingo Kunieda v Gustavo Fernandez
COURT 12 – 11:00AM
1. Jonas Bjorkman / Todd Woodbridge v Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis
2. Arnaud Clement / Michael Llodra v Xavier Malisse / Max Mirnyi
COURT 18 – 11:00AM
1. Jonas Forejtek / Jiri Lehecka v Liam Draxl / Govind Nanda
2. Kamilla Bartone / Oksana Selekhmeteva v Savannah Broadus / Abigail Forbes
Wimbledon Day 12 Ladies Singles Final Schedule
It's time for the Ladies Singles Final at Wimbledon, followed by the men's and women's doubles title matches. THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON 2019
INTENDED ORDER OF PLAY FOR DAY 12 SATURDAY 13 JULY
CENTRE COURT – 2:00PM
1. Serena Williams v Simona Halep
2. Nicolas Mahut / Edouard Roger-Vasselin v Juan Sebastian Cabal / Robert Farah
3. Su-Wei Hsieh / Barbora Strycova v Gabriela Dabrowski / Yifan Xu
NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
1. Daria Snigur v Alexa Noel
2. Mansour Bahrami / Chris Wilkinson v Jeremy Bates / Andrew Castle
3. Arnaud Clement / Michael Llodra v Tommy Haas / Mark Philippoussis
4. Wayne Ferreira / Mark Woodforde v Jonas Bjorkman / Todd Woodbridge
NO.3 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Alfie Hewett / Gordon Reid v Joachim Gerard / Stefan Olsson
2. Diede De Groot v Aniek Van Koot
COURT 12 – 11:00AM
1. Dylan Alcott v Andy Lapthorne
2. Koji Sugeno v David Wagner
COURT 18 – 11:00AM
1. Aubane Droguet / Selena Janicijevic v Savannah Broadus / Abigail Forbes
2. Arthur Fery / Toby Samuel v Liam Draxl / Govind Nanda 3. Jonas Forejtek / Jiri Lehecka v Martin Damm / Toby Kodat
Wimbledon Day 10 Women’s Quarter-Final Schedule
Women's semi-finals take stage on Day 10 at Wimbledon, but that's not all we'll be watching around the grounds… THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON 2019 INTENDED ORDER OF PLAY FOR DAY 6 SATURDAY 6 JULY
CENTRE COURT – 1:00PM
1. Elina Svitolina v Simona Halep
2. Serena Williams v Barbora Strycova
3. Raven Klaasen / Michael Venus v Juan Sebastian Cabal / Robert Farah
NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
1. Nicolas Mahut / Edouard Roger-Vasselin v Ivan Dodig / Filip Polasek
2. Bruno Soares / Nicole Melichar v Matwe Middelkoop / Zhaoxuan Yang
3. Robert Lindstedt / Jelena Ostapenko v Franko Skugor / Raluca Olaru
NO.2 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Jeremy Bates / Andrew Castle v Wayne Ferreira / Mark Woodforde
2. Iva Majoli / Magdalena Maleeva v Anne Keothavong / Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
3. Wesley Koolhof / Kveta Peschke v Artem Sitak / Laura Siegemund
4. Jonas Bjorkman / Todd Woodbridge v Mansour Bahrami / Chris Wilkinson
NO.3 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Anton Matusevich v Shintaro Mochizuki
2. Emma Navarro v Natsumi Kawaguchi
3. Nicolas Alvarez Varona / Juan Bautista Torres v Shintaro Mochizuki / Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune
4. Natsumi Kawaguchi / Adrienn Nagy v Polina Kudermetova / Giulia Morlet
COURT 12 – 11:00AM
1. Martin Damm v Carlos Alcaraz Garfia
2. Alexa Noel v Priska Madelyn Nugroho
3. Martin Damm / Toby Kodat v Andrew Paulson / Eric Vanshelboim
4. Kamilla Bartone / Oksana Selekhmeteva v Robin Montgomery / Maria Camila Osorio Serrano
COURT 18 – 11:00AM
1. Harold Mayot v Illya Beloborodko
2. Elsa Jacquemot v Diane Parry
3. Liam Draxl / Govind Nanda v Baptiste Anselmo / Loris Pourroy
4. Valentina Ryser / Alexandra Vecic v Joanna Garland / Sohyun Park
COURT 5 – 11:00AM
1. Arthur Fery / Toby Samuel v Taha Baadi / Filip Cristian Jianu
2. Savannah Broadus / Abigail Forbes v Weronika Baszak / Martyna Kubka
3. Eliot Spizzirri / Tyler Zink v Jacob Fearnley / Connor Thomson
4. Holly Fischer / Matilda Mutavdzic v Chloe Beck / Emma Navarro
COURT 6 – 11:00AM
1. Linda Fruhvirtova / Kristyna Lavickova v Alina Charaeva / Anastasia Tikhonova
2. Funa Kozaki / Amarissa Kiara Toth v Carlota Martinez Cirez / Ane Mintegi Del Olmo
3. Flavio Cobolli / Dominic Stephan Stricker v Brandon Nakashima / Valentin Royer
4. Cannon Kingsley / Alexander Zgirovsky v Shunsuke Mitsui / Keisuke Saitoh
COURT 8 – 11:00AM
1. Polina Kudermetova v Daria Snigur
2. Dalibor Svrcina v Carlos Gimeno Valero
3. Jonas Forejtek / Jiri Lehecka v Tristan Schoolkate / Dane Sweeny
4. Hurricane Tyra Black / Shavit Kimchi v Aubane Droguet / Selena Janicijevic
COURT 14 – 11:00AM
1. Dylan Alcott v Koji Sugeno
2. Shingo Kunieda v Gordon Reid
3. Jordanne Whiley v Yui Kamiji
4. Alfie Hewett v Gustavo Fernandez
COURT 15 – 11:00AM
1. Joachim Gerard v Stefan Olsson
2. Diede De Groot v Marjolein Buis
3. Aniek Van Koot v Giulia Capocci
COURT 17 – 11:00AM
1. Andy Lapthorne v David Wagner
2. Kgothatso Montjane v Sabine Ellerbrock
3. Stephane Houdet v Nicolas Peifer
TO BE ARRANGED
Not Before: 5:00pm
1. Ivan Dodig / Latisha Chan v Evan Hoyt / Eden Silva
Not Before: 5:00pm
2. Colin Fleming / Ross Hutchins v Tommy Haas / Mark Philippoussis
Not Before: 5:00pm
3. Greg Rusedski / Fabrice Santoro v Henri Leconte / Patrick McEnroe
Wimbledon Day 10 Women’s Semi-Final Schedule
Women's semi-finals take stage on Day 10 at Wimbledon, but that's not all we'll be watching around the grounds… THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON 2019 INTENDED ORDER OF PLAY FOR DAY 10 Thursday 11 JULY
CENTRE COURT – 1:00PM
1. Elina Svitolina v Simona Halep
2. Serena Williams v Barbora Strycova
3. Raven Klaasen / Michael Venus v Juan Sebastian Cabal / Robert Farah
NO.1 COURT – 1:00PM
1. Nicolas Mahut / Edouard Roger-Vasselin v Ivan Dodig / Filip Polasek
2. Bruno Soares / Nicole Melichar v Matwe Middelkoop / Zhaoxuan Yang
3. Robert Lindstedt / Jelena Ostapenko v Franko Skugor / Raluca Olaru
NO.2 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Jeremy Bates / Andrew Castle v Wayne Ferreira / Mark Woodforde
2. Iva Majoli / Magdalena Maleeva v Anne Keothavong / Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
3. Wesley Koolhof / Kveta Peschke v Artem Sitak / Laura Siegemund
4. Jonas Bjorkman / Todd Woodbridge v Mansour Bahrami / Chris Wilkinson
NO.3 COURT – 11:00AM
1. Anton Matusevich v Shintaro Mochizuki
2. Emma Navarro v Natsumi Kawaguchi
3. Nicolas Alvarez Varona / Juan Bautista Torres v Shintaro Mochizuki / Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune
4. Natsumi Kawaguchi / Adrienn Nagy v Polina Kudermetova / Giulia Morlet
COURT 12 – 11:00AM
1. Martin Damm v Carlos Alcaraz Garfia
2. Alexa Noel v Priska Madelyn Nugroho
3. Martin Damm / Toby Kodat v Andrew Paulson / Eric Vanshelboim
4. Kamilla Bartone / Oksana Selekhmeteva v Robin Montgomery / Maria Camila Osorio Serrano
COURT 18 – 11:00AM
1. Harold Mayot v Illya Beloborodko
2. Elsa Jacquemot v Diane Parry
3. Liam Draxl / Govind Nanda v Baptiste Anselmo / Loris Pourroy
4. Valentina Ryser / Alexandra Vecic v Joanna Garland / Sohyun Park
COURT 5 – 11:00AM
1. Arthur Fery / Toby Samuel v Taha Baadi / Filip Cristian Jianu
2. Savannah Broadus / Abigail Forbes v Weronika Baszak / Martyna Kubka
3. Eliot Spizzirri / Tyler Zink v Jacob Fearnley / Connor Thomson
4. Holly Fischer / Matilda Mutavdzic v Chloe Beck / Emma Navarro
COURT 6 – 11:00AM
1. Linda Fruhvirtova / Kristyna Lavickova v Alina Charaeva / Anastasia Tikhonova
2. Funa Kozaki / Amarissa Kiara Toth v Carlota Martinez Cirez / Ane Mintegi Del Olmo
3. Flavio Cobolli / Dominic Stephan Stricker v Brandon Nakashima / Valentin Royer
4. Cannon Kingsley / Alexander Zgirovsky v Shunsuke Mitsui / Keisuke Saitoh
COURT 8 – 11:00AM
1. Polina Kudermetova v Daria Snigur
2. Dalibor Svrcina v Carlos Gimeno Valero
3. Jonas Forejtek / Jiri Lehecka v Tristan Schoolkate / Dane Sweeny
4. Hurricane Tyra Black / Shavit Kimchi v Aubane Droguet / Selena Janicijevic
COURT 14 – 11:00AM
1. Dylan Alcott v Koji Sugeno
2. Shingo Kunieda v Gordon Reid
3. Jordanne Whiley v Yui Kamiji
4. Alfie Hewett v Gustavo Fernandez
COURT 15 – 11:00AM
1. Joachim Gerard v Stefan Olsson
2. Diede De Groot v Marjolein Buis
3. Aniek Van Koot v Giulia Capocci
COURT 17 – 11:00AM
1. Andy Lapthorne v David Wagner
2. Kgothatso Montjane v Sabine Ellerbrock
3. Stephane Houdet v Nicolas Peifer
TO BE ARRANGED
Not Before: 5:00pm
1. Ivan Dodig / Latisha Chan v Evan Hoyt / Eden Silva
Not Before: 5:00pm
2. Colin Fleming / Ross Hutchins v Tommy Haas / Mark Philippoussis
Not Before: 5:00pm
3. Greg Rusedski / Fabrice Santoro v Henri Leconte / Patrick McEnroe
