ATP This Week: Davis Cup Qualifiers
WTA This Week: Guadalajara 500, Sao Paulo 250
The Sacrifice Behind Ben Shelton’s Rise
Why It’s Interesting: Bryan Shelton had built an elite career of his own, becoming the only coach to win NCAA team championships in both men’s and women’s tennis. In 2023, he left Florida after 11 years to travel full-time with Ben, turning an already unusual father-son relationship into a full-time professional partnership.
50 Takeaways From A Wild U.S. Open
Why It’s Interesting: Arguably the most legendary regular-occurring tennis column in the game --- Jon Wertheim empties his notebook after three weeks at Flushing Meadows. On-court stories lead, but this year’s US Open felt particularly active on the off-court storylines.
The U.S. Open, Circa 2041
Why It’s Interesting: Craig Tiley has said he wants the US Open to become the “Disneyland of tennis.” Bryan Armen Graham from The Guardian takes him literally, with a satirical imagination of the tournament in 2041.
The Real Reason Tennis Surfaces Feel More Similar
Why It’s Interesting: Complaints that courts are getting slower and increasingly similar have come from all directions in the last 10 years, but the people who actually build and maintain those courts tell a different story. In this deep dive, Open Court speaks with court manufacturers and surface experts to ask whether grass, clay and hard courts really have lost their identities.
A Tennis Classic Worth Revisiting
Why It’s Interesting: Published in 1969, John McPhee’s Levels of the Game dissects Arthur Ashe and Clark Graebner’s semifinal at the first US Open almost point by point, using the match to explore everything from playing style and psychology to race, upbringing and the very different paths that produced two elite American players.
Taylor Fritz’s Tennis Ball Rant
Andy & Jamie Murray Are Now YouTube Racket Playtesters
Ben Shelton’s Racket Setup
Leaving You With A Stat
On Monday Match Analysis, Gill Gross breaks down Alexander Zverev's 4-set win over Ben Shelton to win the 2026 US Open. We'll jump right into Zverev's tactical performance on his forehand, effective return strategy and why this match was the best mentality Zverev has ever showcased in a big match. Then, we'll assess Shelton's performance, address the ball bouncing controversy and finish on Zverev's legacy.
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Hey everyone, Gill Gross here. While I’m grateful for any amount of success I’ve had talking tennis on the internet for the past half decade, I believe we should all be doing better in this sport as creators and as fans. The tennis content economy is far behind other sports by metrics of engagement and popularity. This newsletter is our effort to DRAW the great things we find in tennis every week- we search for content that teaches us, makes us think, makes us laugh and ultimately makes loving this sport the best possible experience. Our vision is to speed up the growth of a robust content economy in tennis, for the benefit of fans, players and creators alike.
