Good morning, Court Theorists! ☕️☀️🍁
Today’s tennis mood: Soaked but optimistic for some play.
Let’s tennis!
-Allen
🎾 Bonjour: Reporting in from a wet Montreal, where two matches somehow managed to get completed in the few pockets of play time. Today’s weather is looking only slightly more promising. Fingers crossed for some action in MTL for some tennis-hungry fans.
🎾 ICYMI: Here’s how last week’s completed action shook out…
In Los Cabos, France’s Arthur Gea took down sixth seed Denis Shapovalov for his first ATP Tour title, 6-3, 6-4. In doubles, Seggerman/Trhac won a tight one over Reynolds/Watt 7-6, 6-7, 10-8.
In Memphis, Kristina Liutova came through qualifying and two seeds to win the title over Darja Vidmanova in a lopsided final 1-6, 6-1, 6-3. At 16, that win made her the youngest active player to win a title on the WTA Tour. In doubles, Kozyreva/Lumsden def. Chan/Joint 7-6, 6-3.
🎾 Meanwhile, in Washington: Continuous rain made for a rough final Sunday in the nation’s capital. Play was suspended for the day with Jessica Pegula taking the first set over Alex Eala 6-4 and Pegula serving at 1-2 in the second. That match will resume at noon with the men’s final, Taylor Fritz vs. Rafael Jodar, to follow.
Men’s doubles: Cash/Glasspool def. Krajcek/Mektic 6-3, 6-4
Women’s doubles: Routliffe/Sutjiadi def. Klepac/Ninomiya 6-4, 6-1
🎾 The inbox: Several of you have written in to ask about Jack Draper’s racket situation in Montreal. The questions center around if he’ll be playing with his standard Dunlop frame or if he’s moved onto what has appeared in recent weeks to be a version of the Wilson Defyer as a partial remedy to his ongoing arm problems. I have not yet seen Draper, but he is on the schedule for today. 🙏🏻
🎾 One to watch: Taylor Fritz vs. Rafael Jodar (Final - ATP 500 - Washington): Watch this one for some incredible hard court ball-striking — but also to see what Jodar learned since losing a tight 7-6, 6-4 battle to Fritz earlier this year.
The record: Taylor Fritz leads the head-to-head record over Rafael Jodar 1-0. Their previous meeting was on the hard courts of Delray Beach this year.
On the line: Yes, it’s a title and 500 points. But there are a few more things at stake. For Jodar, a win here means he’ll be very close to top 10 once the new rankings come out — and in his first full year on the tour. For Fritz, he’ll see the outcome as the difference between what’s his to claim and personal failure.
🎾 🏆 🎤 YOUR CALL
And that’s game.
