Good morning, Court Theorists! ☕️
Today’s tennis mood: Ready and waiting + a bit contemplative.
Let’s tennis!
-Allen
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🎾 Mboko’s big win: After some wild momentum swings in both directions, Victoria Mboko came out on top against Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals of Doha on Thursday, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. There was some nervous-looking tennis from both players throughout the two hours and twenty-three minutes, but it made for highly compelling competitive drama — the kind that Mboko finds personally satisfying.
What she said: “I feel like we both had our ups and downs in the match. Both of us maybe not starting so great. I think when you’re not feeling your best and just getting it through, I think it feels good in a way when you’re able to pull it through.”
On facing the Rybakina serve: “I think she is the best server on tour,” Mboko said. “I think for her to hold it would have been a lot easier for her than for me. I mean, not putting so much expectation on myself to keep holding every single time consistently, I think that just let me have less pressure on myself in the match and let me play freely. So sometimes I was surprised to even break her.”
Next: Mboko faces Jelena Ostapenko in the semifinals on Friday.
🎾 A lesson from Sakkari: Maria Sakkari also pulled off a huge win on Thursday, taking down Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals of Doha, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. For Sakkari, it was a symbol of what was still possible after spending much of 2025 fighting to stay in the top 100 after reaching a career-high ranking of number three just a few years ago.
What she said: “I’m speechless because it’s been a while since I had a big win like today,” Sakkari said after the match. “When you drop in the rankings, and you’re not playing good tennis, you start doubting yourself. And you’re thinking that you’re never going to beat those players again.” She added: “So it’s a huge process that you have to go through in your head, that you know you can do it.”
Next: Sakkari faces Karolina Muchova in the semifinals on Friday.
🎾 Listen to this: For those of you who have ever said, “I could listen to Jim Courier talk about tennis all day” (don’t make me find the receipts, because I’ve seen some of you), there’s another opportunity. The ATP has just launched a new podcast, Beyond The Numbers, with Courier as the host. First guest: Mark Petchey.
🎾 One to watch: Taylor Fritz vs. Sebastian Korda (Quarterfinals - ATP 500 - Dallas): Watch this one for two Americans with something to prove facing off for a chance to reach the semifinals of the first American ATP 500 event on the calendar. This will be a blast fest from all wings by two guys who can also grind. Will both of their bodies hold up? We’ll see.
The record: Taylor Fritz leads the head-to-head record over Sebastian Korda 3-1.
On the line: There’s little doubt that, as the top seed, Fritz feels this is his tournament to win and anything less is a failed mission. On Korda’s side of the net, this is about momentum and a chance to get back into the top 50.
🎾 🏆 🎤 YOUR CALL
(Yesterday’s poll results: 66% of you wanted Victoria Mboko to defeat Elena Rybakina in Doha. Mboko won 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.)
And that’s game.
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Matches we’re monitoring today:
Doha - WTA 1000 (Hard)
Jelena Ostapenko vs. Victoria Mboko (Semifinals)
Maria Sakkari vs. Karolina Muchova (Semifinals)
Dallas - ATP 500 (Hard)
Jack Pinnington Jones vs. Marin Cilic (Quarterfinals)
Denis Shapovalov vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Quarterfinals)
Miomir Kecmanovic vs. Ben Shelton (Quarterfinals)
Rotterdam - ATP 1000 (Hard)
Ugo Humbert vs. Christopher O’Connell (Quarterfinals)
Alex de Minaur vs. Botic van de Zandschulp (Quarterfinals)
Tallon Griekspoor vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime (Quarterfinals)
Jaume Munar vs. Alexander Bublik (Quarterfinals)
Buenos Aires - ATP 250 (Clay)
Alejandro Tabilo vs. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (Quarterfinals)
Francisco Cerundolo vs. Vit Kopriva (Quarterfinals)
Camilo Ugo Carabelli vs. Sebastian Baez (Quarterfinals)
Pedro Martinez vs. Luciano Darderi (Quarterfinals)
📺 Learn how to watch today’s action over at Tennis Watchers.
💬 For real-time match commentary and conversation, follow Court Theory on Bluesky.
Jelena Ostapenko wasn’t playing the Cocciaretto game that the others did all week in Doha — she blasted 31 winners in straight sets to make the semis.
…and she isn’t just a professional tennis player, she’s also a fan…or she was scouting her next opponent…you know, whichever.
And Karolina Muchova kept her perfect record against Anna Kalinskaya to reach the semifinals.
Luciano Darderi is happy to be back on the clay — and it shows.
Ben Shelton had another battle with Adrian Mannarino, and this one ended a little more satisfactorily in his book.
Joao Fonseca has an uphill battle ahead of him with a chronic “flatback” syndrome.
Andrea Petkovic on GOATS flying — and crashing.
