Former ATP player Thomas Blake is now the new director of tennis performance at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, FL.
Brad Gilbert has opened a tennis shop BG Tennis Nation Shop in Greenbrae, Califonia
Former New York Rangers media assistant Brendan McIntyre has started a new position as Managing Director, Head of US Open, Pro Tennis and USA Tennis Communications and Content at USTA.
Thanasi Kokkinakis won his first match in 12 months after surgery 76 in the third set vs Sebastian Korda in Adelaide. For the first time in his pro career Korda is now wearing his baseball cap backwards like Lleyton Hewitt style. Kokkinakis is wearing adidas attire and shoes now.
Sloane Stephens won in AO 1R qualies vs Barbora Pericova, which is her first match win since Wimbledon 2024.
Belinda Bencic is back to the WTA top ten at no. 10. After having baby Bella she lost all her ranking points. Her comeback after giving birth started fourteen months ago.
Daniil Medvedev has won 22 ATP singles titles and all were at 22 different events.
Sports that add the most years to your life: 1. Tennis (+9.7 years) 2. BADMINTON (+6.2 years) 3. Soccer (+4.7 years) 4. Cycling (+3.7 years) 5. Swimming (+3.4 years).
Lorenzo Musetti is in the ATP top five now. He’s the third Italian to do it after Adriano Panatta and Jannik Sinner. He’s the first with a one handed backhand in the top five since 2023.
In 1975, Frank Sinatra traveled to Tehran to perform two concerts at the Aryamehr Cup tennis stadium. At the height of Iran’s “Golden Age,” Sinatra was personally invited by the Shah to celebrate the monarch’s birthday, performing for a crowd of thousands of westernized Iranians.
Rumors persist than Leylah Fernandez secret boyfriend is Arthur Fils and her favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip.
Brad Gilbert · Frank Sinatra · Saddlebrook · Thomas Blake
Bradentonfan · January 13, 2026 at 5:05 pm
Michael Zheng looked very good handling kid Hewitt 63 62, Hewitt put up a fight but at 17 he’s overmatched against an accomplished player like Zheng who looks destined to be a top25-50 player and that may be a low ceiling. One thing is for sure, young Cruz is developing slower than his famous pop. He is a fighter with that lanky long limbed Sinner/Hurkacz/Fritz type body and arm whip. Still just a colt, when he’s a race horse it may all come together in 3-4 more years.
Scoop Malinowski · January 13, 2026 at 8:10 pm
Saw the highlights of Zheng Hewitt, good match, the kid just isn’t ready yet but his breakout could happen at any time. Zheng is also long overdue for a breakout, this might be his time to finally crack a main draw at a Grand Slam, I think he’s 0-2 so far at US Open maybe 0-3.
Scoop Malinowski · January 13, 2026 at 8:10 pm
Zheng has won rounds in US Open qualies but not won all three. I think he’s played US Open qualies two maybe three times.