Good morning, Court Theorists! ☕️☀️
Today’s tennis mood: Celebratory and surprised by Coco.
Let’s tennis!
-Allen
🎾 Programming note: This edition of The Daily Theory is a bit abbreviated because it’s my birthday, and I’m heading out to nature to relax, reflect, and celebrate the day. 🥳
Birthday wish: Become a Court Theory Plus member! For as little as the cost of a can of tennis balls each month, you can help make Court Theory sustainable.
🎾 Coco, The Owner: Some breaking news as I was just about to publish this newsletter…Coco Gauff is a new player/owner of the Florida Flamingos Racquet Club in the soon-to-relaunch World Team Tennis.
What she said: “Growing the sport through team competition and making it more accessible are two things I love, and WTT does both,” Gauff said. “I’m looking forward to playing at home in front of my family and friends in South Florida. It’s not often, as a tennis player, that we get to compete as part of a team, so I’m excited for the new experience, not only for myself but, even more importantly, for the fans.”
Check out this roster: Gauff will be joined by Iva Jovic, Eva Lys, Brandon Nakashima, Tommy Paul, and Learner Tien.
🎾 Flashback: Last week, I pointed out on social media that Patrick McEnroe was to appear on Capitol Hill before the House subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development for a hearing called “Who Gets the Scholarship? How the Global Shift in College Sports Affects Americans.” McEnroe has become something of a hero among anti-immigration conservatives for his new stance on limiting international athletes on college tennis teams.
Read all about it: You can read his prepared testimony, or watch it and the questions he answered.
Yes, but: Do you remember when McEnroe said he didn’t find it “appropriate” to argue against international college players? I do.
Noteworthy: He was identified as an ESPN broadcaster and not as the president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Bottom line: Is there a problem with so many international student-athletes filling college tennis rosters? Possibly. But McEnroe’s sudden overwhelming presence on the issue after having stated the opposite position just a few years ago calls for just as much examination.
And that’s game.
