The US Open will add a qualifying round to its mixed doubles event. The change gives traditional doubles specialists a better route into a competition that was heavily shaped by singles stars last year. It matters because it opens the field and could restore more doubles-focused entries to the draw.
Elena Rybakina said coach Stefano Vukov left during her second-round loss at Roland Garros because he had been feeling unwell for days. His departure came midway through a difficult French Open match for Rybakina. The explanation clears up the mid-match exit and leaves her coaching situation under a spotlight at the tournament.
Yuliia Starodubtseva paired a top-10 win with an off-court bet involving a marriage proposal from her boyfriend. The piece ties her on-court momentum to a personal goal as she also targets a place in the top 50. The practical consequence is mostly symbolic: her recent result gives her a bigger stage while the wager adds a personal stake to her rise.
Laura Robson says her move into presenting has brought TV nerves, even as she has become part of a popular Tim Henman TikTok bit. The former British No. 1 is now fronting coverage for TNT Sports, which makes her a more visible on-air presence during the tour. Her comments underline how quickly a broadcasting role can become a central part of a tennis career off court.
Oleksandra Oliynykova reflected on the bombed-out courts at Lyodovyi in Kyiv, where she trained as a child. Her comments tied a personal tennis memory to the destruction of a place that shaped her development. The moment adds a stark off-court layer to her story in Ukrainian tennis.
Alexandra Eala has backed the players’ side in the debate over a possible Grand Slam boycott tied to prize money. Her stance adds another voice to the widening dispute over compensation at the sport’s biggest events. The issue has gained traction after warnings from several top 10 players, including Aryna Sabalenka leading the push.
Moldova has opened a new national tennis center in Chisinau, giving the country a dedicated base for professional tennis. Juan Martin del Potro and Simona Halep were involved in the launch of the new facility. The center is a major infrastructure step for Moldovan tennis and its move onto a bigger international stage.
Emma Raducanu is working with Andrew Richardson to get back to an aggressive, first-strike style on grass. The coaching change matters because that game plan was central to her best results on faster courts. Her next stretch on grass will show whether the approach can be rebuilt under Richardson.
Aryna Sabalenka is being profiled through the story behind her rise and public profile as a player. The piece connects her to the 2025 US Open women’s final at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, with Naomi Osaka and Amanda Anisimova also in the broader context around her brand and status. It gives readers a background view of Sabalenka beyond her results, including how her image and tennis identity are presented.
Aryna Sabalenka opened Roland Garros with a straight-sets win and kept her strong run of quick victories going. The result put the world No. 1 through her opening match in Paris and reinforced her status as one of the tournament’s leading contenders. Her outfit also drew attention, with a standout Nike dress and 23-carat necklace highlighted in Paris.
Hailey Baptiste talked about how she relaxes on off days during the Slams, with retail therapy as part of her routine. The piece is a snapshot of her life away from matches rather than a tournament update. It gives fans a lighter look at how players manage the grind of major events.
Tennis Australia has hired Andrew Abdo from the National Rugby League to replace Craig Tiley as chief executive officer. The move brings an outside sports administrator into one of tennis's key governing jobs. That makes Abdo responsible for a major off-court leadership change across the ATP and WTA footprint in Australia.
Roland-Garros is pushing ahead with prize money and social protection proposals for 2027. Player representatives kept pressing for short-term progress after no players attended the French Tennis Federation meeting. The issue affects both the ATP and WTA sides of the event’s governance, with the current edition still the backdrop for the talks.
Leylah Fernandez’s father drew criticism for aggressive coaching during a match. The exchange put his in-match behavior and the pressure from Fernandez’s box under scrutiny. It is a reminder of how closely player-box conduct is watched on the WTA Tour.
Hailey Baptiste has landed a full Nike sponsorship deal, moving from an apparel-only arrangement to a head-to-toe agreement. The upgrade marks a clear commercial step forward for the 24-year-old American on the WTA Tour. It also signals Nike’s growing commitment to one of the season’s more promising young players.
Elina Svitolina wrote warmly about husband Gael Monfils, praising the qualities that define his personality. The piece is a personal off-court feature centered on their relationship rather than any tournament action. It highlights Monfils through Svitolina’s perspective, with the focus on how she knows him best.
Alexandra Eala celebrated her 21st birthday in Paris ahead of Roland Garros. The off-court feature centers on her style and birthday moment rather than tennis results, with the French Open backdrop giving the celebration tournament context. It offers a lighter snapshot of a player arriving in Paris with attention on her growing profile.
Original Penguin unveiled Paris 2026 apparel for Ajla Tomljanovic, who will debut the new outfit in Paris. The branding push is tied to her first-round match against American Caty McNally. It is a tournament-facing sponsorship reveal that links Tomljanovic’s look to her opening match.
Belinda Bencic attended Asics’ “Get the Glow” event in Paris and unveiled new gear ahead of Roland Garros. She wore pieces from the new Asics Paris collection and shared fresh promotional photos from the brand. The appearance ties her into the tournament build-up in Paris while serving as a brand reveal for the clay season.
Alexander Blockx said sharing a stage with Daniil Medvedev and Iga Swiatek at a Tecnifibre event in Paris felt like a full-circle moment. The 21-year-old also said he would "sign a paper" to have David Goffin’s career, a sign of how highly he rates the Belgian veteran’s body of work. The comments underline Blockx’s respect for established champions as he continues his own rise.
Iva Jovic is set to meet Emma Navarro again at Roland Garros after their recent Strasbourg clash. The draw puts the 17th seed back in a tough early Grand Slam matchup, while Jovic’s French Open opener already featured a brief on-court moment with Alexandra Eala. The practical consequence is another close-look test for Jovic against a familiar opponent, with the women’s event also featuring other young names such as Victoria Mboko, Ksenia Efremova and Lilli Tagger.
Roland-Garros players used media day to push back on the French Tennis Federation’s refusal to move on prize money. Twenty-three players spoke, but there was no boycott or open escalation, only a clear desire to keep the issue alive. The practical effect is sustained pressure on the federation to reopen the conversation.
Reebok is returning to tennis after nearly 20 years and has signed Magdalena Frech as a head-to-toe ambassador. The comeback is linked to a new product launch and recalls the brand’s earlier association with Venus Williams. For Frech, the deal puts her at the center of Reebok’s re-entry into the WTA market.
Emma Raducanu said parting company with coach Andrew Richardson after her US Open title was not a mistake. She described feeling pulled left and right through the coaching changes before later deciding to rehire him. The decision puts Richardson back in her team as she tries to steady her career after a run of coaching upheaval.
Emma Raducanu's return to coach Mark Richardson is being tied to trust and a long-term connection. The move comes after her French Open exit and after a run of interrupted preparation, making the coaching call part of her attempt to rebuild through the clay season. The practical consequence is that Raducanu is committing to a steadier setup rather than another short-term change, with Roland Garros and the rest of the clay swing used as part of that rebuild.
Tim Henman has given the backstory on Emma Raducanu’s new coach, Andrew Richardson. Richardson’s link to Henman is part of the context around the coaching appointment, which adds another layer to Raducanu’s team setup. That matters because any coaching change can shape how Raducanu’s next phase is managed on tour.
John McEnroe backed Emma Raducanu after she reversed her coaching decision and brought Andrew Richardson back into her camp. The move restores the coach she had previously turned away, with McEnroe calling the earlier choice nonsensical. It gives Raducanu a familiar hand as she manages the next stage of her WTA development.
Tim Henman has stepped into the Grand Slam pay dispute as Wimbledon looks to head off player protests. He has been involved in talks with leading players at Roland Garros, and Wimbledon is offering a new player council as part of the effort. The practical aim is to cool tensions over prize money before they spill further into the tournament calendar.
The French Open will not change its prize money pool this year despite player complaints about how much of the major’s revenue goes to the field. Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo confirmed the decision, keeping Roland Garros’s current payout structure intact. That leaves the prize-money dispute unresolved for now even as pressure from players continues.
Pro tennis players are weighing boycotts of the majors over longstanding disputes with the sport’s authorities. The push involves both the ATP and WTA sides and is tied to player demands that have not been resolved. If the threat hardens into action, the Grand Slams would be the main pressure point. The issue puts governance and player power at the center of the sport.