Good morning, Court Theorists! ☕️
Today’s tennis mood: Interest piqued + popcorn popped.
Let’s tennis!
-Allen
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🎾 False alarm: Sorry, everybody. The fantasy doubles team of Venus and Serena will not be playing together in Austin next week. How do we know? Because Venus has a different partner.
🎾 Back in the coach’s box: That’s Goran Ivanisevic joining the team of Arthur Fils this week in Doha. It’s a trial run with an eye toward a longer-term arrangement in which Fils’s main coach, Ivan Cinkus, would remain in the primary position.
What he said: “I think it’s good for me, maybe it’s best for me, to have his experience as a coach, and a player. So I’m very glad that he’s going to join us, during this long journey,” Fils said after his win over Quentin Halys in Doha on Wednesday.
Zoom in: It’s not immediately clear what problem Ivanisevic solves on the team, as Fils is just getting back to action after injury took him away from the tour for much of 2025.
🎾 One to watch: Coco Gauff vs. Alex Eala (Quarterfinals - WTA 1000 - Dubai): Watch this one for the competitive drama. They’re both bringing something extra to the court this week, and putting that on the same court at the same time should prove to be something special. How will Coco handle the Eala fandom in this situation? We’ll see.
The record: This will be the first time Coco Gauff and Alex Eala face each other.
On the line: They will both be helped in the ranking points category, but this one is about personal pride for both of them.
🎾 🏆 🎤 YOUR CALL
(Yesterday’s poll results: 62% of you called for Sebastian Korda to defeat Alex Michelsen. Korda won 6-3, 7-6.)
And that’s game.
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Matches we’re monitoring today:
Dubai - WTA 1000 (Hard)
Clara Tauson vs. Jessica Pegula (Quarterfinals)
Mirra Andreeva vs. Amanda Anisimova (Quarterfinals)
Antonia Ruzic vs. Elina Svitolina (Quarterfinals)
Doha - ATP 500 (Hard)
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Andrey Rublev (Quarterfinals)
Jiri Lehecka vs. Arthur Fils (Quarterfinals)
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Karen Khachanov (Quarterfinals)
Jakub Mensik vs. Jannik Sinner (Quarterfinals)
Rio - ATP 500 (Clay)
Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Vilius Gaubas (2nd rd)
Joao Fonseca vs. Ignacio Buse (2nd rd)
Matteo Berrettini vs. Dusan Lajovic (2nd rd)
Delray Beach - ATP 250 (Hard)
Learner Tien vs. Miomir Kecmanovic (2nd rd)
Zachary Svajda vs. Frances Tiafoe (2nd rd)
Taylor Fritz vs. Rafael Jodar (2nd rd)
📺 Learn how to watch today’s action over at Tennis Watchers.
💬 For real-time match commentary and conversation, follow Court Theory on Bluesky.
About that Medvedev-Tsitsipas match…
The group chat that became The Player’s Box.
Three South American players have been cleared of doping allegations, and you already know the culprit.
Laver Cup players are already lining up.
