Good morning, Court Theorists! ☕️☀️
Today’s tennis mood: Reminiscing plus gearing back up for more.
Let’s tennis!
-Allen
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🎾 Remainders: Miami is on tap this week, but there are still a few things that I can’t quite get out of my head from Indian Wells:
At the La Quinta Resort, The Venus Williams asked me where the clay courts were. (Answer: Wherever you want them to be, Queenus.)
I got to hit with Manuel Guinard and Guido Andreozzi, the eventual Indian Wells champs, who defeated Alex de Minaur and John Peers in the first round, followed by taking out the 7th, 4th, and 1st seeds, before they won the title over cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot in the final.
I had casual conversations with Stevie Johnson and Sam Querrey as if they were just your average tennis fans.
All of that (and a whole bunch more!) was made possible by Topnotch Tennis Tours and Grand Slam Tennis Tours. They provide all of the high-level service and experience with none of the pretension. I was blown away by the staff, the organization, the thoughtfulness, and the ease. Book early and book often with them — you won’t regret it.
🎾 A slow start: The Miami Open main draw kicks off today at Hard Rock Stadium. But organizers have a bit of juggling to do thanks to a few days of tricky weather, which has delayed qualifying and forced some atypical scheduling. So, if you’re looking for a particular court today and it seems to be missing from the apps, note that it might be a qualifying match on that court at the moment, and the main draw match you’re looking for should be along shortly. Consult the order of play and the live scores on the Miami Open website.
🎾 Suspended: Marinko Matosevic, the former Australian number one and top 40 ATP player, has been banned for four years for several doping offenses. According to the ITIA, the player-turned-coach committed five anti-doping rule violations between 2018 and 2020, including: use of a prohibited method through blood doping and facilitating another player to blood dope, providing advice to others on how to avoid positive tests, and use and possession of the prohibited substance clenbuterol.
What he said: “I am writing this confession letter firstly to warn other athletes against doing anything that may harm their health and put their lives at risk, because there is a long life after an athlete’s career,” Matosevic said in a statement released to Australian tennis website The First Serve last month. “Secondly, I am writing this letter to let the tennis world know how corrupt and unjust the ITIA process is. They take your phone number under threatening circumstances and make legal cases over photos and text message assumptions that are literally five years old.”
Intriguing: Since retiring from the tour, Matosevic has become a coach to fellow Australian pros. Most recently, he has coached Chris O’Connell in 2024 and Jordan Thompson in 2025. Thompson, who has been missing from the tour since the Australian Open, also had his doubles partner, Max Purcell (with whom he won the 2024 U.S. Open men’s doubles event), nabbed by the ITIA for doping offenses. Two people in Thompson’s immediate circle stitched up for doping? Something tells me this investigation isn’t over.
🎾 One to watch: Katie Boulter vs. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (1st round - WTA 1000 - Miami): Watch this one for two incredibly hungry players who excel on hard courts.
The record: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro leads the head-to-head record over Katie Boulter, 1-0. That win came at the 2024 U.S. Open in two tight sets.
On the line: Neither one has ranking points to defend from last year. For Boulter, this match is about continuity after regaining her confidence under the tutelage of Michael Joyce this year. And for Bouzas Maneiro, this match represents an opportunity to get 2026 going. Although she had that massive win over Coco Gauff at United Cup, she’s 2-6 on the year in regular tournament play.
And that’s game.
