Doubleday launched the cover of my next book today, THE CRUELEST GAME: Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis. It’s about what it takes to reach the top in the Hunger Games of sports — and why it’s so damn hard. You can pre-order it here:

www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746451...

U.S. tennis gets its man as Australian Open impresario Craig Tiley becomes chief executive

american tennis enters the craig tiley era. It will not be dull. U.S. Tennis Association hires Craig Tiley as chief executive from Australian Open www.nytimes.com/athletic/705...

The U.S. has never won an Olympic biathlon medal. Can this Kiwi fix that? Campbell Wright is a New Zealander to his core. But he competes for the U.S. and is the country's best hope to end a major Olympic drought.

America's great white winter Olympic whale -- and the Kiwi -- who might finally slay the beast. www.nytimes.com/athletic/684...

Serena Williams reenters tennis anti-doping test pool, a requirement for return to competition Players in the pool have to be available for daily testing for six months before being allowed to play a competitive event.

Here comes Serena?!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/685...

Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka will meet in WTA Tour Finals duel for supremacy The last match of the season, with over $5 million on the line, will be a showcase of first-strike tennis.

Elena Rybakina, peaking at the end, has had a long strange season. Now comes world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka for $5.3 mm. @theathletic.com www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

Amanda Anisimova climbs back again, this time at the WTA Tour Finals against Iga Świątek The American's 2025 season has been defined by comebacks, small and large. So too has her career.

Amanda Anisimova and comebacks are definitely "a thing"...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...

Perfect day at New York City Marathon: Photo finish, record run, classic competition It was championship racing at its best, as Benson Kipruto beat Alexander Mutiso by less than a second and Hellen Obiri set a course record.

Completely biased opinion....That was the perfect NYC Marathon.@TheAthletic www.nytimes.com/athletic/677...

Valentin Vacherot lived a tennis fairytale. Now comes the rest of his career The Monégasque's run to the Shanghai Masters title was the men's tennis fairytale of the year. Now the next phase begins.

Can Valentin Vacherot turn a fairy tale into a career? @theathletic.com www.nytimes.com/athletic/673...

For Mikaela Shiffrin, a new season begins with mystery and hope for Olympic glory After an injury rattled her last year, Shiffrin is back for Saturday's start of the Olympic season, hoping to wash away 2022's heartbreak.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/674...
Mikaela Shiffrin talks about herself like she's a longshot. After two injury riddled seasons, she has a point. But then she's Mikaela Shiffrin.

She’s 80 years old, and she just completed the famed Ironman World Championship "The important thing is that people see from my story that they can maybe push themselves a little bit," Natalie Grabow says.

At 80, Natalie Grabow i the definition of badass. Queen of Kona. www.nytimes.com/athletic/672...

Sebastian Korda’s tennis talent is in no doubt. His body and brain have met plenty of them After a series of chastening injuries and frustrated comebacks, Korda is hoping to get his body to where it can let his talent speak freely.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/668...
Will Sebby Korda's body let his tennis shine finally? @theathletic.com

Can Sebby Korda’s body stay healthy long enough to let his tennis shine? @TheAthletic Sebastian Korda’s tennis talent is in no doubt. His body and brain have met plenty of them

Novak swears he doesn’t care about rankings points yet he’s got the third most this season. Thats bananas. @TheAthletic Novak Djokovic has completed tennis. He may end the ATP season with his zaniest achievement

Enough with fake apologies. @TheAthletic Why tennis players apologize for net cords – the strangest piece of tennis etiquette

Jannik Sinner’s U.S. Open begins after French Open pain and Wimbledon joy. Both brought him home

Can a Canadian Biomechanist save Coco Gauff’s US Open ? @TheAthletic Coco Gauff is fixing her serve to start the U.S. Open – and the rest of her tennis career

Turns out playing actual doubles is an advantage. @TheAthletic U.S. Open mixed doubles: Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori take singles stars to school

U.S. Open announces mixed doubles direct entries, wild cards include Alcaraz and Raducanu The new tournament's first 14 pairs are set, with wild cards for a suite of singles stars — and the defending doubles champions.

And then US Open mixed doubles became about the hardest tournament to get into. @theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/652...

Venus rises: 45-year-old Venus Williams stuns at Citi Open after year-long hiatus The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion had not played a WTA Tour match since March of 2024 and had not won one since 2023.

At 45, Venus Williams turns back the clock. @theathletic.com
www.nytimes.com/athletic/651...

Boris Becker’s Wimbledon title in 1985 made him a star. The next 40 years made it complicated

Tennis wild cards: A Grand Slam golden ticket and the sporting nationalism that powers it Tennis wild cards used to offer some genuine surprises, but today's system is a strategic cocktail of soft nationalism, politics and money.

With the individual college tennis champs moving to fall, I liked the idea of a spring playoff for the US Open wild card, except the part where non-American champions don't get invited. Homerism and wild cards is a bit out of control.
@theathletic.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...

The life lessons of Sam Long, triathlon’s tortoise and hare all in one Sam Long is one of the world's best triathletes — despite being pretty bad at one of the legs. His is a story of working through weaknesses.

Sam Long is the tortoise and the hare of triathlon all at once.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

Lois Boisson and the fairytale French Open run that deserves Roland Garros’ biggest stage The biggest story of the French Open is a home wild-card entry who has surged to the semifinals. So why has she had not top billing?

Lois Boisson is on a crazy run at the French Open from wild card and world No. 361 to the semifinals. Too bad the tournament organizers keep her and all women off their biggest stage. @theathletic.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/639...

Naomi Osaka’s French Open and the ebbs and flows of a tennis comeback Osaka's tears in a news conference brought back memories of the 2021 French Open, and her many climbs back into the sport.

Naomi Osaka endures another hinge moment at Roland Garros @TheAthletic
www.nytimes.com/athletic/638...

WTA chairman Steve Simon announces retirement: What will American’s legacy be in women’s tennis? The 70-year-old took over as leader of the women’s professional tennis tour in 2015, and led a boycott against China over Peng Shuai in 2021

Steve Simon stood up for human rights and chance, until he didn't. @theathletic.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

Pope Leo XIV heads the Catholic church from Vatican City — where a secret tennis court awaits The new head of the Catholic church is a tennis fan. Within the walls of Vatican City, he will find his own court to play on.

It's very clear why Pope Leo wanted this new gig....it comes with a tennis court.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/634...

Coco Gauff cruises past Iga Świątek to reach Madrid Open final for first time It was Świątek's worst loss on clay since 2019. She must now regroup for the Italian Open in Rome, where she is the defending champion.

Swiatek crying on changeovers is really troubling. Meanwhile, Coco...@TheAthletic

www.nytimes.com/athletic/632...

What Carlos Alcaraz’s ‘My Way’ Netflix docuseries says about his tennis present and future Alcaraz's window into his 2024 season offers some revelations, but they are stage-managed as much as they are insightful.

Now about that Alcaraz film that is so NOT a documentary but does have some value. @theathletic.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...

Coco makes a big move. @TheAthletic Coco Gauff switching agencies, launching Coco Gauff Enterprises with WME

Tennis antitrust lawsuit: PTPA, co-founded by Novak Djokovic, sues ATP, WTA tours Djokovic declined to be named in the suit, which accuses tennis' governing bodies and the Grand Slams of ‘abusing their power.’

And now the world of antitrust law comes for tennis, and it's very possible that nothing will ever be the same. @theathletic.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/athletic/621...