👋 Welcome back to The Daily Theory, our morning rundown to help you stay on top of your favorite sport. I’m Allen McDuffee, your guide to all things tennis.

Let’s tennis!

Three Points

🎾 The biggest unforced error of 2025: The USTA announced today that it is putting an end to mixed doubles at the U.S. Open as we know it. The event will now take place during singles qualifying. That means before the main draw begins for all the other events. And they’re changing the format to short sets. In other words, they’ve made it an exhibition for Fan Week. Organizers say they want this format to get more singles players in the draw to attract more fans. The result is so far unclear, of course. But this really cheapens a major title and puts it on the same level as the legends event instead of treating these players as the elite athletes they are.

🎾 A rough start: It might not be a typical sophomore slump Emma Navarro is facing. After all, it’s not her second year on the tour. But it is the year after her incredible rise. And, in that sense, there’s a bit of a sophomore slump. Things have not gone well in kicking off her 2025 season — most recently losing 6-2, 6-2 to Leylah Fernandez in the first round of Qatar on Monday. Overall, there’s a lack of sharpness and the appearance of fatigue. Perhaps she booked herself a little too tightly with extra-curricular activities at the end of 2024.

🎾 The Pouille Update: Lucas Pouille reported that the operation to repair his Achilles tendon went well. Things moved fast for Pouille after he ruptured the tendon on Sunday in the final of the ATP Challenger in Lille. “I don’t want to say for certain until there have been tests, but there’s a chance it will be the last match of my career,” Pouille said during the trophy presentation, unable to finish. “I think it’s total rupture of the Achilles tendon. Playing tennis at the highest level after that is complicated.” Complicated, yes. But his spirits suggest seem to suggest things aren’t over just yet.

And, that’s game.

What They Said

[E]very player has their own path, and she inspired us all when she won her first Grand Slam, and I wish her all the best. Everybody knows Madison plays unbelievable tennis, and she truly deserved that Australian Open. Everybody creates their own story. I feel like I’m going to discover more in my path and see what’s going to happen. I tried my best to win my first Grand Slam, it hasn’t come yet, but hopefully it will come soon, or when it’s supposed to come, but I know that I’m doing everything in my power to be there....If not, then I’ll have a baby and make her win the first Grand Slam!

-Ons Jabeur on the inspiration of Madison Keys winning her first major in Australia.

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Watch This!

🔥 Diego Schwartzman vs. Nicolas Jarry (1st round ATP 250 - Buenos Aires): Let’s cut to the chase: this might be Diego Schwartzman’s final match. And while his best tennis left him some time ago, we’ll be sure to ride the final journey with El Peque here at Court Theory HQ. It’s hard to know what kind of tennis we’ll see from Schwartzman in this prime time match because there hasn’t been much of it since the last clay season. But there’s little doubt that it will be a dramatic setting in front of his home crowd, and he deserves our attention for all the joyous moments he’s brought to our sport and for showing us that you can come to our sport with something other than a 6-foot-plus frame and a huge forehand.

  • The record: Schwartzman leads this head-to-head record 4-2. However, it’s Jarry who has won in the last two meetings — both of which were in 2023.
  • On the line: For Jarry, he wants to return to where he was less than a year ago: marching toward the top 10. That means every match counts — including this one, especially since he has points to defend from making the finals of this tournament in 2024. The story is a little different for Schwartzman. If he can’t win this one, he wants to go down battling in the same way he did for his entire career. And he wants to do it front of his people who have cheered him on just as long.

Keeping an Eye on...

  • Paula Badosa vs. Amanda Anisimova (2nd round WTA 1000 - Qatar)
  • Elina Svitolina vs. Jessica Pegula (2nd round WTA 1000 - Qatar)
  • Nuno Borges vs. Stan Wawrinka (1st round ATP 250 - Marseille)
  • Arthur Rinderknech vs. Gabriel Diallo (1st round ATP 250 - Delray Beach)
  • Kei Nishikori vs. Mackenzie McDonald (1st round ATP 250 - Delray Beach)
  • Chris Eubanks vs. Reilly Opelka (1st round ATP 250 - Delray Beach)
  • Corentin Moutet vs. Jaume Munar (1st round ATP 250 - Buenos Aires)
  • Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Joao Fonseca (1st round ATP 250 - Buenos Aires)

Learn how to watch today’s action over at Tennis Watchers.

Read, Watch, Listen

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Which matches are you watching? What news caught your eye today? Hit the comments below!