👋 Welcome back to The Daily Theory, our morning rundown to help you stay on top of your favorite sport. I’m Allen McDuffee, your guide to all things tennis.
On tap today, we’ve got: Iga Swiatek faces IRL abuse, Emma Raducanu makes a noticeable schedule change, Billie Jean King is back in history, Jessica Pegula takes on Emma Raducanu, plus more in tennis news today.
Let’s tennis!
Three Points
🎾 Swiatek gets extra security: As if online abuse directed at tennis players wasn’t enough, that grotesque behavior has now moved into the three-dimensional realm. During a practice session on Saturday, a man hurled insults and threats at Iga Swiatek. “The Miami incident appears to be a direct transition from verbal aggression online to harassment in the real world,” Swiatek’s team said, adding, “He was aggressive and taunting.” Since then, Swiatek has been provided extra security. If the incident is bothering the world number two player, she hasn’t shown it. She has continued to move through the draw. Up next: Alexandra Eala in the quarterfinals today.
🎾 That’s a choice: Emma Raducanu has entered the WTA 250 event in Rouen next month. That’s the same week she typically plays the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart to kick off her clay season. Why the change of heart? It might have everything to do with her sponsor. Or lack of it, that is. Porsche is the title sponsor of Stuttgart and at least was one of Raducanu’s top sponsors. At the end of 2024, it was rumored that the luxury car company took back a vehicle from Raducanu, a possible sign that they were pulling the plug on the deal they signed in 2022 to make her an ambassador — something Porsche has been known to do to athletes they see as underperforming or under-representing the brand. If this doesn’t confirm it, nothing does.
🎾 Making history again: This week, Billie Jean King proved once again that it’s never too late. The 81-year-old announced that she’s once again a student at California State University Los Angeles to complete the degree she started but left behind 60 years ago to pursue her professional tennis career. What’s her major? History, of course.
- What she said: “I never graduated from college,” King posted on social media. “It has always bothered me. This is about to change.”
- What’s next: King says she will document her journey, “Road to Graduation” on her social media channels.
And, that’s game.
What They Said
Actually, when I had that down-the-line passing shot, I pointed to her and asked her whether it was okay. She said, ‘Yeah, it was fine.’ If Serena says it was fine, then it was amazing by everyone else’s standards.
-Novak Djokovic on playing in front of Serena Williams on Tuesday.
Watch This!
🔥 Emma Raducanu vs. Jessica Pegula (Quarterfinals WTA 1000 - Miami): Watch this one to admire some of the cleanest ball striking you’ll see all day at the Miami Open. Expect Pegula to try to win this one with increasingly aggressive positioning. If she can hug the baseline and continue pushing Raducanu further and further back, she wins. If Raducanu can maintain her ground and pull go for it on the right ball without hesitation, she may well take it. Her newfound confidence suggests she just may.
- The record: The head-to-head record between Emma Raducanu and Jessica Pegula is tied at 1-1, with Raducanu taking their most recent meeting in at Eastbourne last year. The most decisive set they’ve played is 6-4. In other words, this is a close match-up.
- On the line: With Pegula going into her least favorite part of the year — the clay season — every match counts right now. Losing in the quarterfinals of a 1000 on a hard court is not part of the plan. As for Raducanu, she wants to keep this winning feeling going. It’s the first time she’s won four matches in a row since winning the U.S. Open in 2021. Doing so will give her a break from outside (and inside) voices from getting too loud with negativity.
On The Radar
- Alexandra Eala vs. Iga Swiatek (Quarterfinals WTA 1000 - Miami)
- Alexander Zverev vs. Arthur Fils (4th round ATP 1000 - Miami)
- Francisco Cerundolo vs. Grigor Dimitrov (Quarterfinals ATP 1000 - Miami)
- Sebastian Korda vs. Novak Djokovic (Quarterfinals ATP 1000 - Miami)
📺 Learn how to watch today’s action over at Tennis Watchers.
Read, Watch, Listen
- Gaby Dabrowski opens up about her breast cancer journey and how it allowed her to enjoy her tennis more.
- Novak Djokovic is coming to terms with this new stage in his career, even if nobody — including him — knows what that is, yet.
- On Served, Andy Roddick gets into the weeds on the PTPA lawsuit.
- Alexandra Eala may only be 19 years old, but it’s taken a million little steps to get to this moment in her career.
- Grigor Dimitrov got more than he bargained for when he agreed to do an IRL AMA.
- Alex de Minaur clarified his message after defeating Joao Fonseca in Miami.
- Thanks to an ongoing lower back issue, Paula Badosa pulled out of Miami — and now Charleston, as well.
