Good morning, Court Theorists! ☕️
Today’s tennis mood: Perplexed plus anxious.
We’ve got another day of heat accommodations coming on Tuesday. Australian Open organizers have already adjusted the schedule, and the heat rules are expected to be implemented. That’s quite the cognitive dissonance for those of us in much of the United States who are getting pummelled with snow, ice, and frigid temperatures. Still, the tennis must go on!
Let’s tennis!
-Allen
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🎾 Continuing the cycle: Taylor Fritz exited the Australian Open on Monday with a straight-set loss to Lorenzo Musetti. Fritz said his continued knee tendinitis played a role in that, as did his newer oblique injury. His plan now? Recover and get back to training.
What he said: “I’ve talked to a lot of people that have had this, and they say I’ll make a full recovery at some point. Then I’ve recovered from the oblique thing before. It’s not too serious. My main focus is to just get 100 per cent healthy, which I’m hoping it’s not too far away, and just to be on top of everything so I can train and really just practise and train like I am used to.”
Yes, but: What does that mean exactly? Fritz is scheduled to play at the Dallas Open, which begins exactly two weeks from today.
Noteworthy: While some find themselves incredulous that he is pressing to play in Dallas, it’s important to recognize that Boss, his clothing sponsor, is also the official apparel partner of the Dallas Open.
🎾 No defense: In an All-American match-up, Jessica Pegula took down Madison Keys in the fourth round on Monday. The 6-3, 6-4 win ended Keys’s Australian Open title defense — a thing that is always hard to do, but especially when it’s a first (and only) major title. Still, falling a few rounds short means Keys will drop out of the top ten when the rankings are next released.
Next: Jessica Pegula faces another American — Amanda Anisimova — in the quarterfinals. And Madison Keys must eat apple pie with cheddar cheese.
🎾 New sport, who dis?: Juan Carlos Ferrero is moving on. To another sport, that is. When his successful coaching relationship with Carlos Alcaraz came to an end last month, it was reasonable to assume he would go back to his academy in Villena and find a new junior to mold and make the next Alcaraz anew. Wrong. He’s turning his attention to golf, instead. Yes, you read that correctly. Ferrero will be joining the team of Angel Ayora, a young golfer from Spain.
What he said: “We’ll be working together on the mental side of performance and professional development,” Ferrero posted on social media. “We’ve already started, highly motivated and looking forward to continuing this journey.”
Yes, but: Of course, Ferrero says he will remain active at the academy and on the tour. If that’s true, this is the strangest side hustle that feels more like an emotional reaction to the split from Alcaraz than it does a thoughtful career choice.
🎾 One to watch: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Iva Jovic (Quarterfinals -Australian Open - Melbourne):
Watch this one to see how up-and-coming American teen Iva Jovic handles the biggest match opportunity of her life. Before this Australian Open, she had never moved beyond the second round of a major in her young career. Now, she gets to face the number one player in the world in the quarterfinals in a massive stadium. She’s disciplined, she’s focused, and she doesn’t back down from pace.
That’s not great news for Sabalenka, who often struggles against younger players with whom she’s unfamiliar. Sabalenka should still take this match, but with all of those factors added up, it should be highly entertaining to watch.
The record: This will be the first time Aryna Sabalenka and Iva Jovic face each other.
On the line: All the pressure is on Sabalenka in this one. If Sabalenka falters, she’ll keep her much-cherished number one ranking position, but the margin could lessen. Jovic has already jumped up to the top 20 in the live rankings, but her appetite is hardly satisfied. She absolutely will make every effort to take one more round.
🎾 🏆 🎤 YOUR CALL
And that’s game.
